Development of a semi-digital hadronic calorimeter using GRPCs for future linear collider experiments

A new concept of high granularity hadronic calorimeter using thin Glass Resistive Plate Chambers (GRPCs) as sensitive medium with embedded semi-digital readout electronics to be used in the future linear collider experiments is under development within the CALICE collaboration. Based on this concept, a small prototype was built and tested with success at CERN PS test beam in 2008. To validate completely this new concept a prototype of 1 m3 is being conceived. Several GRPCs as large as 1 m2 were built with a new design reducing the dead zones and improving the gas distribution system. The GRPCs were tested with an electronics board of the same size. The board containing 144 64-channel ASICs was conceived and built for this purpose.