Objetivo Parallel-plate spark counters (Pestov counters) offer ultra-high time resolution, very good position resolution, an efficiency close to 100%, and, most important, a per-channel price which is (potentially) a factor of ten lower than comparable conventional time-of-flight systems. These features, in the light of the expense of developing new technologies (ultra-clean environment, extreme requirements on electrode surfaces, 10 GHz read-out electronics) make Pestov counters a candidate for high-energy heavy-ion experiments at the CERN-LHC, where a large number of individual channels (up to 200 000) are required.The Pestov counter is a gaseous parallel-plate counter operating in the spark mode. The performance of the counter is based on the good localization (< 1 mm2) of the discharge (spark) after passage of an ionizing particle due to the use of a highly resistive, semiconductive anode (r >> 109-1010 Wcm) and to the admixture of several quencher gases to the main gas. The gas pressure is kept at 12 bars. The small discharged area of the semiconductive anode ensures that the other area of the anode remains sensitive to other charged particles allowing a high global count rate. The time resolution of a s >>25 ps is achieved by applying an electric field of 60 MV/m over a spark gap of only 100 mm. The rise-time of the pulses is below 300 ps, which means that adequate read-out electronics is not commercially available and must be developed.The goals of this project are therefore: to build prototype Pestov counters suitable for mass production and to establish the performance of these devices in terms of time and position resolution, efficiency and lifetime; to develop versatile TOF front-end electronics suitable for VLSI with a resolution better than 50 ps; to develop a mass production technology for semi-conductive glass; and to build a small TOF system based on Pestov counters for system tests. Programa(s) IC-INTAS - International Association for the promotion of cooperation with scientists from the independent states of the former Soviet Union (INTAS), 1993- Tema(s) 13 - High Energy Physics Convocatoria de propuestas Data not available Régimen de financiación Data not available Coordinador Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Planckstraße 1 64220 Darmstadt Alemania Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Participantes (3) Ordenar alfabéticamente Ordenar por aportación de la UE Ampliar todo Contraer todo Moscow Engineering Physical Institute Rusia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 115409 Moscow Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch Rusia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 630090 Novosibirsk Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Università degli Studi di Catania Italia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Corso Italia 57 92129 Catania Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos