Journal of Radiation Safety and Measurement

Journal of Radiation Safety and Measurement

The polymerization phenomenon on thick gas electron multiplier (THGEM) detectors in self-quenching streamers mode (SQS)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammad Mahdi Ebrahimi-Besheli
Ali Negarestani
Mohammad Javad Khodashenas
Amin Reza Mahmoodi
Faculty of Sciences and Modern Technologies, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, Kerman, Iran
10.22052/rsm.2024.253021.1029
Abstract
One of the most important limitations of gas detectors is the phenomenon of polymerization. This factor can disrupt the overall performance of the detector. The occurrence of this phenomenon has been observed and proven in wired detectors. In this paper, the polymerization phenomenon on thick gas electron multiplier detectors (THGEM) in self-quenching streamer (SQS) mode has been investigated using a 137Cs gamma source with 3.95µCi(1.46×105Bq) activity. In the presence of an approximate amount (10%) of a hydrocarbon gas such as methane, which is used as a quencher in the P10 gas composition, it is observed that after three days the detector is used an average of three to four hours per day. Sudden changes in the counting rate and also electrical sparks are seen. According to the images and observations, the harmful effects of hydrocarbon gas polymerization, which is one of the main factors of this phenomenon, have been proven in THGEM detectors, and suggestions have been made to improve and extend the life of the system.
Keywords
Thick Gas Electron Multiplier Detector
Self-Quenching Streamer Mode
Polymerization
Ionization
Quencher Gas
  1. F. Sauli. GEM: A new concept for electron amplification in gas detectors. Nuc. Inst. and Meth. in Phys. Res. Sec. A: Acc., Spec., Det. and Ass. Equip. 386 (2-3) (1997) 531-534.
  2. R. Chechik, A. Breskin, C. Shalem, D. Mörmann. Thick GEM-like hole multipliers: properties and possible applications. Nuc. Inst. and Meth. in Phys. Res. Sec. A: Acc., Spec., Det. and Ass. Equip. 535 (1-2) (2004) 303-308.
  3. L. Periale, V. Peskov, P. Carlson, T. Francke, P. Pavlopoulos, P. Picchi, F. Pietropaolo. Detection of the primary scintillation light from dense Ar, Kr and Xe with novel photosensitive gaseous detectors. Nuc. Inst. and Meth. in Phys. Res. Sec. A: Acc., Spec., Det. and Ass. Equip. 478 (1-2) (2002) 377-383.
  4. S. Brehin, A. Berger, G. Marel, G. Tarte, R. Turlay, G. Charpak, F. Sauli. Some observations concerning the construction of proportional chambers with thick sense wires. Nucl. Instrum. Methods 123 (2) (1975) 225-229.
  5. G. Alekseev, N. Kalinina, V. Karpukhin, D. Khazins, V. Kruglov. Investigation of self-quenching streamer discharge in a wire chamber. Nucl. Instrum. Methods 177 (2-3) (1980) 385-397.
  6. S. M. Hashemi, A. Negarestani. A new method for alpha particle detection use of Electron multiplier assembly (EMA) in SQS mode. J. Instrum. 13 (05) (2018) P05025.
  7. R. Souri, A. Negarestani, M. Mahani. A new approach for direct imaging of Alpha radiation by using Micro Pattern Gas Detectors in SQS mode. Nuc. Inst. and Meth. in Phys. Res. Sec. A: Acc., Spec., Det. and Ass. Equip. 884 (2018) 128-135.
  8. R. Arsia, M. K. Salem, A. Negarestani, A. H. Sari. A new approach to measure radon by Thick Gas Electron Multiplier. Radiat. Phys. Chem. 196 (2022) 110114.
  9. H. Yasuda. New insights into aging phenomena from plasma chemistry. Nuc. Inst. and Meth. in Phys. Res. Sec. A: Acc., Spec., Det. and Ass. Equip. 515 (1-2) (2003) 15-30.
  10. J. Va’vra, Physics and chemistry of aging–early developments. Nuc. Inst. and Meth. in Phys. Res. Sec. A: Acc., Spec., Det. and Ass. Equip. 515 (1-2) (2003) 1-14.
  11. H. Kolanoski, N. Wermes, Particle Detectors: Fundamentals and Applications. Oxford University Press, USA, 2020.
  12. L. Malter. Thin film field emission. Phys. Rev. 50 (1) (1936) 48.
  13. A. Schreiner. Aging studies of drift chambers of the HERA-B outer tracker using CF 4-based gases. 2001.
  14. H. Albrecht, S. Bauer, M. Beck, A. Belkov, K. Berkhan, G. Bohm, M. Bruinsma, T. Buran, M. Capeans, J. Chamanina. Aging studies for the large honeycomb drift tube system of the Outer Tracker of HERA-B. Nuc. Inst. and Meth. in Phys. Res. Sec. A: Acc., Spec., Det. and Ass. Equip. 515 (1-2) (2003) 155-165.
  15. M. Titov. Radiation damage and long-term aging in gas detectors. in: Innovative Detectors for Supercolliders: World Scientific (2004) 199-226.