Transition radiation detectors for particle physics and astrophysics

In this review the identification of ultrarelativistic particles (γ ≥ 1000) by means of transition radiation will be discussed. For this purpose, this electromagnetic phenomenon will be treated in a straightforward way form the theoretical point of view, but without neglecting the formal details useful to establish the main design parameters for transition radiation detectors (TRDs). These parameters will be frequently recalled and discussed while reviewing the detectors in the last sections. A noticeable amount of work has been done in the theory of transition radiation since the first article of V. L. Ginzburg and I.M. Frank in 1946 (1), including very widespread reviews (sec. 2-3) that may help the reader interested in further theoretical or experimental details: in this work papers will be indicated for additional and more complete elements useful for a TRD design. After a general presentation of the transition radiation phenomenon (sects. 1, 2) and relative detectors (sects. 3, 4) the state o f the art of this particle identification technique starting from the pioneeristic applications (sect. 5). to the more recent TRDs (sects. 6,7) will be discussed. In this way it is thought that the research and development done on these detectors examined in a chronological way will result much clearer