An energy resolving scintillator telescope for multiparticle detection of light charged particles

A modular plastic scintillator telescope was developed which can be used in vacuum to investigate light charged particle production in heavy ion reaction studies at a time-focused accelerator beam. Light signals from NE 111A plastic scintillators are amplified by photomultiplier tubes (RCA 4516). Remarkable features of the plastic scintillator telescope are: good time resolution (127 ps for 20 MeV α-particles), high counting rate stability (f = 125 kHz). Particle energies derived from time-of-flight measurements (resolution typically 4%) show good reproducibility and are easy to calibrate. Pulse heights are used for particle identification only. Experience in recent accelerator experiments (using 11 modules) is reported on. (orig.)