Studies of the Gain Properties of Microstrip Gas Counters Relevant to Their Application as X-Ray and Electron Detectors

The microstrip gas counter (MSGC) makes an excellent planar (position-sensitive) amplifier of incident electron clouds because both the anodic and cathodic gain-defining elements are produced lithographically on the same rigid substrate. We have studied the dependence of the gas gain and pulse-height resolution of the plate as a function of various geometric and gas parameters. The results show that an MSGC can be made very insensitive to the shape of the drift electrode, allowing it to be used in a wide variety of applications. An example of an electron-yield XAFS study is given. The aim of the work reported in this paper is to produce a well-defined technology platform from which to build detectors that meet the requirements of high-flux synchrotron radiation and neutron facilities, both of which are key CLRC facilities.