# US 9,182,501 B2 · Detector-readout interface for an avalanche particle detector

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- Number: US 9,182,501 B2
- Document ID: US9182501B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/240,858
- Filed: 2012-08-10
- Published: 2014-08-28
- Granted: 2015-11-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-26
- Assignees: Cern - European Organization for Nuclear Research; Cea
- Applicants: Rui de Oliveira; Ioannis Giomataris
- Inventors: Rui de Oliveira; Ioannis Giomataris
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9182501B2

## CPC

- G01T 1/185: with ionisation chamber arrangements
- G01T 1/2935: {using ionisation detectors}
- H01J 47/02: Ionisation chambers
- G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

A detector-readout interface for an avalanche particle detector comprises a resistive layer formed at a bottom side of a gas chamber and a dielectric layer formed under said resistive layer and is adapted for capacitive coupling to an external readout board. This provides a modular detector configuration in which the readout card and detector core can be combined freely and interchangeably. The readout board can even be removed or replaced without switching off the detector. At the same time, the configuration provides an effective protection against sparks and discharges, and in particular obliviates the need for additional protecting circuits. The configuration may be employed in any avalanche particle detector, such as the MicroMegas or GEM detectors.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A detector-readout interface for an avalanche particle detector, comprising:
a gas chamber of said avalanche particle detector, said gas chamber comprising an amplification gap or a collection gap;
a resistive layer formed at a bottom side of said gas chamber; and
a dielectric layer formed under said resistive layer;
wherein said detector-readout interface is adapted to be capacitively coupled to a readout board that comprises readout electronics for said avalanche particle detector;
and wherein the thickness t2 of said dielectric layer and the thickness t1 of said amplification gap or collection gap, respectively, are chosen such that t2<t1×∈2/∈1, wherein ∈1 denotes the dielectric constant of a gas filling of said amplification gap or collection gap, respectively, and ∈2 denotes the dielectric constant of said dielectric layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, wherein said detector-readout interface does not comprise readout electronics for said avalanche particle detector, and does not comprise electrically conductive connections for coupling to said readout board.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, wherein said resistive layer is a continuous layer, and preferably extends across the entire lower surface area of said gas chamber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said resistive layer or said dielectric layer seal said gas chamber.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, wherein t2≦0.2 t1×∈2/∈1.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, wherein t2≦0.1 t1×∈2/∈1.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, wherein said dielectric layer has a dielectric constant ∈2≧10.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, wherein said dielectric layer has a dielectric constant ∈2≧100.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, wherein said dielectric layer has a thickness t2≧10 μm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, wherein said dielectric layer has a thickness t2≧50 μm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, wherein said resistive layer has a thickness in a range of 3 μm to 50 μm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, wherein said resistive layer has a thickness in a range of 5 μm to 30 μm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, further comprising:
first and second plane electrodes placed in said gas chamber;
said first electrode and said second electrode delimiting a conversion gap for generation of electrons by incident particles;
said second electrode perforated by holes; and
said second electrode and said resistive layer delimiting said amplification gap for multiplication of electrons in an avalanche process.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The detector-readout interface according to claim 1, further comprising:
first and second plane electrodes placed in said gas chamber;
wherein said first electrode is spaced both from said second electrode and from said resistive layer and comprises an insulator having first and second metal coating layers on opposed surface sides thereof, and a plurality of holes extending through said first electrode; and
a polarization element coupled to said coating layers and adapted to raise said first coating layer to a first potential and to raise said second coating layer to a second potential higher than said first potential.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

An avalanche particle detector, comprising:
a detector-readout interface according to claim 1; and
a readout board that comprises readout electronics for said avalanche particle detector;
wherein said detector-readout interface is capacitively coupled to said readout board.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The avalanche particle detector according to claim 15, wherein said readout board comprises a pixel chip or an integrated chip.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The avalanche particle detector according to claim 15, wherein said detector-readout interface is reversibly connected to said readout board.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The avalanche particle detector according to claim 15, wherein said detector-readout interface does not comprise electrically conductive connections coupling said detector-readout interface to said readout board.