Energy resolution of xenon proportional counters: Monte Carlo simulation and ex...

• Author(s): Rachinhas, P. J. B. M. ; Dias, T. H. V. T. ; Stauffer, A. D. ; Santos, F. P. ; Conde, C. A. N.
• Date: 1996
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10316/12907
• Origin: Estudo Geral - Universidade de Coimbra
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

The gas multiplication factor M and energy resolution R of xenon gas cylindrical proportional counters are investigated experimentally and calculated theoretically using a Monte Carlo technique to simulate the growth of single-electron-initiated avalanches. A good agreement is found between calculated and experimental data. The experimental and the calculated results are presented as a function of the reduced voltage K and the reduced anode radius Na, where N is the number density and a the anode radius. The Monte Carlo results for the intrinsic energy resolution Rint are discussed in terms of the parameter f which characterizes the statistical fluctuations of the avalanche gains. The present calculations have revealed that there is an intrinsic dependence of f on the critical value Sc of the reduced electric field at the onset of multiplication. This has enabled the parameterization of f and of the intrinsic energy resolution Rint in terms of the reduced voltage K only and has explained why, for a given range of operating values for M, energy resolution in a cylindrical proportional counter is improved for thinner anode wires and lower pressures