Multiwire proportional chambers with a high spatial resolution for X radiation detection and localization

A multiwire proportional counter, with a high spatial resolution has been developed, and some basic characteristics of this type of detector specified. A method of calculating the potential and consequently the field at each point of the volume limited by the counter was defined. The method allows the problems of the outer wires to be solved, and the consequences of a wire displacement predicted. The analysis of the pulses observed on both cathode and anode showed that they were hardly formed from the only ion migration from the cathode to the anode. An estimation of the formation time duration established that in argon mixtures with a low percentage of methane, Ar+ ions are in majority. Then it can be predicted that anode wires are not to be spaced by less than 1mm when a conventional electronics is used. The study of the multiplication factor as a function of the main geometric parameters of the counter gave a relation between the multiplication coefficient and the geometric parameters of the chamber; consequently the optimal operation conditions can be predicted. Especially, the diameter of the multiplying wires must be as weak as possible to improve the energy resolution of the detector. A localization method showed that an interpolation may be done between two wires so that, with 1mm spaced wires, the two-dimensional position of an event can be determined with a resolution better than 0.5mm for both directions