Cornell University Unit Name

"Studies with the MPI prototype"

The use of a Time Projection Chamber is being considered as central tracker for the detector at the Internation Linear Collider, and an R&D programme is underway to develop the technology and prove the feasibility of a high-performance TPC required for this application.

At MPI-Munich, a small prototype TPC was built towards gaining understanding as to how to build a TPC for the ILC detector. For the gas-amplification technology, the new Micropattern Gas Detectors (MPGD) technologies, Gas-Electron Multiplier (GEM) or Micromegas (MM), are attractive possibilities, since better precison may be achieved than in earlier TPCs. Extensive testing using GEM and MM is being pursued, and results are being compared with the well proven multi-wire proportional chamber (MWPC) technology which was used in past TPCs. All three technologies are to be tested in the MPI chamber to be able to compare on an equal footing. This work is being carried out together with the CDC groups in Asia, Desy/Hamburg and Orsay/Saclay in Europe and Carlton in America.

Beam tests at KEK began in summer 2004 with MWPC technology, followed using GEMs in April 2005 and continued using MM in June 2005. One more beam run is foreseen for October/November 2005. Results comparing all three technologies should be ready at the end of 2005.

In general, the funding situation must improve in future but is adequate for the moment.

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Please address the following questions in your statement.

• What are the goals of this R&D project. How does this R&D project address the needs of one or more of the detector concepts?

• If there are multiple institutions participating in this project, please describe the distribution of responsibilities.

• Are there significant recent results?

• What are the plans for the near future(about 1 year)? What are the plans on a time scale of 2 to 3 years?

• Are there critical items that must be addressed before significant results can be obtained from this project?

• Is the support for this project sufficient? Are there significant improvements that could be made with additional support?