(Fwd) Progress in TPC Technology

[Tom Banks <tbanks@socrates.berkeley.edu>]

Hey MuCappers,

although I doubt many of you will be able to make it, I thought you might
find this upcoming LBNL instrumentation colloquium interesting.

Tom


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 09:36:09 -0700
From: Kathy Lee <kathyl@berkeley.edu>
To: faculty@physics.berkeley.edu, visitors@physics.berkeley.edu,
     grads@physics.berkeley.edu
Subject: [Grads] Please distribute and post

Interdisciplinary Instrumentation Colloquium

Time Projection Chamber R&D

Speaker:     Michael T. Ronan
    Physics Division, LBNL

Date:    Wednesday, May 3, 2006
Time:    4:00 PM sharp
Place:    LBNL, Building 50 Auditorium
    (directions at http://InstrumentationColloquium.LBL.gov)

The Time Projection Chamber (TPC) was invented at LBNL about 30 years
ago. It consists of a large gaseous volume where charged particles
form curved ionization tracks in a magnetic field. The ionization
electrons drift in parallel electric and magnetic fields to endplane
readout detectors. TPCs have been key components in several e+e-
collider experiments, in the STAR heavy ion experiment at RHIC, and
in many other applications such as double beta decay and dark matter
searches. Multiwire Proportional Chamber (MWPC) readout technology
has been used in all applications to date to obtain 100-200 micron
resolutions, despite introducing E x B distortions and signal
spreading. In the last few years new Micropattern Gas Detector
techniques have been developed to amplify electron signals in micron
scale structures at high fields. These devices offer the possibility
of improved TPC readout without distortions or signal spreading. This
talk reviews recent progress in GEM and Micromegas TPC R&D and
discusses applications at the future International Linear Collider
(ILC).

Presentations (pdf files) and dates of future colloquia are posted at
http://InstrumentationColloquium.LBL.gov

Suggestions for speakers and topics are welcome. Please contact
    Helmuth Spieler    spieler@LBL.gov

Please direct questions regarding site access to
    Cathy Thompson    CAThompson@LBL.gov    Tel. 510-486-5421
    Dianna Jacobs    DJacobs@LBL.gov        Tel. 510-486-5146

-- 
Cathy Thompson
Executive Assistant
Physics Division
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
1 Cyclotron Rd., 50R4049
Berkeley, CA 94720-8153
510-486-5421
--