Resultado final Large area Pestov counters for heavy-ion application The objective of the Pestov spark counter R&D for heavy-ion application is the development of a counter, which is suitable for mass production and has, at the same, time, the very good time resolution shown for prototype counters. While most of the principal questions of the spark counter physics are solved, a few, mainly related to the optimisation of the counter performance, remain. On the technological side, the main problems are related to the choice of the proper materials ad procedures for mass production and assembly as well as to the development of fast, integrated electronics. The operation of a counter array over an extended period ("long term stability") as well as the installation in an experiment ("physics outcome") has been identified, apart from the question of cost, as decisive criteria for the potential application of the counters in heavy-ion application. The work of the PesTOF collaboration in the last year(s) thus focused on the construction of a larger array of counter, - and the corresponding front-end electronics - to be operated in the framework of the NA49 experiment. In parallel several counters have been studied in a test beam in order to investigate the electronics and the tails in the timing spectra. A 9-month long term stability test with up to 9 counters had been set-up in the laboratory. In addition, the mechanical design of the counter has been permanently refined and effective assembly and cleaning procedures - important milestones on the way to a large array - have been advanced. The composition of the gas has, in view of the potential health hazards imposed by the "standard" gas mixture, been put forward as a major R&D topic. Buscando datos de OpenAIRE... Se ha producido un error en la búsqueda de datos de OpenAIRE No hay resultados disponibles
