Imaging Gaseous Detectors and Their Applications -- Contents -- Preface -- Color Plates -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 Exploring the Universe by Detecting Photons and Particles -- 1.2 Detectors of Photons and Charged Particles -- 1.2.1 Vacuum Detectors -- 1.2.2 Gaseous Detectors -- 1.2.3 Liquid Detectors -- 1.2.4 Solid-State Detectors -- 1.2.5 Combination of Imaging Detectors with Scintillators -- 1.2.6 Hybrid Imaging Detectors -- 1.2.6.1 Vacuum Hybrid Detectors -- 1.2.6.2 Gaseous Hybrid Detectors -- 1.2.6.3 Liquid Hybrid Detectors -- References -- 2 Basic Processes in Gaseous Detectors -- 2.1 Interaction of Charged Particles and Photons with Matter -- 2.1.1 Ionization Energy Loss -- 2.1.2 Interaction of Photons with Matter -- 2.1.2.1 Interaction of Photons with Gases -- 2.1.2.2 Interaction of Photons with Liquids -- 2.1.2.3 Interaction of Photons with Metals and Other Solid Materials -- 2.2 Drift of Electrons and Ions in Gases -- 2.2.1 Drift of Electrons -- 2.2.2 Drift of Ions -- 2.3 Some remarks on the Diffusion -- 2.3.1 Diffusion of Ions in Electric Fields -- 2.3.2 Diffusion of Electrons in Electric Fields -- 2.3.3 Drift and Diffusion of Electrons Moving in Electric and Magnetic Fields -- 2.4 Avalanche Multiplication in Gases -- References -- 3 Traditional Position-Sensitive Gaseous Detectors and Their Historical Development: from the Geiger Counter to the Multi-wire Proportional Chamber (1905 till 1968) -- 3.1 Geiger and Spark Counters -- 3.1.1 Single-Wire Counters -- 3.1.1.1 Geiger Counters -- 3.1.2 Proportional Counters -- 3.1.2.1 Energy Resolution -- 3.1.2.2 Position Resolution -- 3.1.3 Physics Processes in Single-wire Counters -- 3.1.4 A Peculiar Type of Proportional Counter: the Gas Scintillation Counter -- 3.2 Parallel-Plate Spark and Streamer Detectors -- 3.2.1 Spark Counters -- 3.2.2 Streamer Chambers.

3.3 Further Developments: Pulsed High frequency Detectors -- References -- 4 The Multi Wire Proportional Chamber Era -- References -- 5 More in Depth about Gaseous Detectors -- 5.1 Pulse-Shape Formation in Gaseous Detectors in Absence of Secondary Effects -- 5.1.1 Parallel-Plate Geometry -- 5.1.2 Cylindrical Geometry -- 5.1.3 MWPC Geometry -- 5.2 Townsend Avalanches and Secondary Processes -- 5.2.1 Role of Photon Emission -- 5.2.1.1 Emission Spectra -- 5.2.1.2 Photoeffect on the Cathode -- 5.2.1.3 Gas Photoionization -- 5.2.2 Role of the Positive Ions -- 5.2.2.1 Ion Recombination on the Cathode in Vacuum -- 5.2.2.2 Recombination on the Cathode in Gas -- 5.2.3 Role of Excited and Metastable Atoms -- 5.3 Discharges in Gaseous Detectors -- 5.3.1 Slow Breakdown -- 5.3.2 Fast Breakdown -- 5.3.3 Self-Quenched Streamers in Gas-Filled Wire Detectors -- 5.4 Features of Operation of Wire Detectors at High Counting Rates -- 5.5 Afterpulses and the Cathode-"Excitation" Effect -- References -- 6 New Ideas on Gaseous Detectors Conceived during the Early Years of the "Multi Wire Proportional Chambers" Era (1968-1977) -- 6.1 Drift Chambers -- 6.2 Time Projection Chamber -- 6.3 First Designs of Resistive-Plate Chambers -- 6.3.1 Comparison between RPCs and MWPCs -- 6.4 Photosensitive Gaseous Detectors -- References -- 7 Developments in MWPCs, PPACs, and RPCs after 1977 -- 7.1 Modern Photosensitive Gaseous Detectors -- 7.1.1 PGDs Working on the Principle of Gas Photoionization -- 7.1.2 PGDs with Solid Photocathodes -- 7.1.3 PGDs for the Detection of UV Light -- 7.1.4 Detection of Visible Light -- 7.2 RICH Detectors -- 7.2.1 Earlier Ideas and First Designs -- 7.2.2 Present Status: RICH Detectors Based on Photosensitive MWPCs -- 7.2.3 TEA and TMAE-Based MWPCs for RICH Devices -- 7.2.4 CsI Based MWPC for RICH -- 7.3 Special Designs of MWPCs and Parallel-Plate Detectors.

7.3.1 Position-Sensitive Gas Scintillation Chambers and Optical Readout -- 7.3.2 Optical Imaging Gaseous Detectors -- 7.3.3 Cluster Counting -- 7.3.4 MWPCs with a Very High Energy Resolution -- 7.4 Parallel-Plate Avalanche Chambers -- 7.4.1 Important Discoveries in the Physics of Breakdown processes -- 7.4.1.1 Random Avalanche Overlapping -- 7.4.1.2 Recently Discovered Phenomena Involved in Breakdowns at High Counting Rates: Cathode-Excitation Effect and Electron Jets -- 7.4.1.3 Cathode-"Excitation" phenomenon in PPACs -- 7.4.1.4 More About Jets -- 7.5 Santonico's (Spark/Streamer) RPCs -- 7.6 Avalanche RPCs -- 7.6.1 "Streamer Suppression" in Gas Mixtures Used in RPCs -- 7.6.2 Microgap and Multigap RPCs -- 7.6.3 High Counting Rate RPCs -- 7.6.4 High Position Resolution RPCs -- 7.6.5 Cathode-Excitation Effect in RPCs -- References -- 8 Micropattern Gaseous Detectors -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.1.1 Main Directions in the Design of Micropattern Gaseous Detectors -- 8.1.2 Microstrip (Microwire)-Type Gaseous Detectors -- 8.1.3 Microdot (Micropin)-Type Detectors -- 8.1.4 Hole-Type Detectors -- 8.1.5 Parallel-Plate-Type Detectors -- 8.2 Signal-Readout Techniques -- 8.3 Efforts in the Design Optimization of Micropattern Detectors -- 8.3.1 Main Trends in the Development -- 8.3.2 How Far Can We Go? -- 8.4 Gain Limit -- 8.4.1 Gain at Low Counting Rates -- 8.4.2 Gain at High Counting Rates -- 8.4.3 Slow breakdowns in micropattern detectors -- 8.5 Position Resolution -- 8.6 Recent Promising Developments in Micropattern Gaseous Detectors -- 8.6.1 Detection of Visible Photons -- 8.6.2 Latest Developments in Micropattern Detectors -- 8.6.2.1 Robust Designs of GEM-Type Detectors: Thick GEM and its modification for Resistive GEM -- 8.6.2.2 MICROMEGAS with Resistive Electrodes -- 8.6.2.3 MSGCs and Microdot Detectors with Resistive Electrodes -- 8.7 Conclusions.

References -- 9 Applications of Imaging Gaseous Detectors -- 9.1 High-Energy and Nuclear Physics -- 9.1.1 Large-Scale Experiments Using Gaseous Detectors Prior the Large Hadron Collider Era -- 9.1.2 LHC Detectors -- 9.2 Application to Astrophysics -- 9.2.1 Flight Experiments -- 9.2.2 Ground Experiments -- 9.2.3 Underground Experiments -- 9.3 Applications to Medicine and Biology -- 9.3.1 X-Ray Scanners -- 9.3.2 Stationary 2D X-Ray Imaging Detectors -- 9.3.3 Beta Imaging Systems -- 9.3.4 Crystallography -- 9.3.5 TOF PET -- 9.4 Application to Homeland Security -- 9.4.1 X-Ray Scanners -- 9.4.2 Muon Tomography -- 9.5 Plasma Diagnostics -- 9.6 New Areas of Application for Gaseous Imaging Detectors -- 9.6.1 Detection of Flames and Dangerous Gases with Imaging Gaseous Detectors: Recent Developments -- 9.6.2 Hyperspectroscopy -- 9.6.3 Detection of Alpha Emitting Elements in Air -- References -- 10 Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Index.