Using an 80% CF4+20% CO2 gas mixture to recover aged anode wires in proportional chambers

A technique to recover a gas proportional counter with an aged anode wire using a glow discharge in an 80%CF4+20%CO2 gas mixture, has been developed and tested. Studies of aging effects were carried out under sustained irradiation by an intense 90Sr β-source of straw proportional counters operated with a 60%Ar+30%CO2+10%CF4 gas mixture. Special attention was paid to the aging mechanism of the anode wires. Our experience showed that using a given gas mixture the swelling of the anode wires is a typical mode of aging that leads to degradation of the gas gain. The proposed method restores the gas gain and the signal amplitude in the damaged zone of the wire. SEM/XEM analysis confirmed that the tungsten oxide deposits have been removed.