Energy resolution in X-ray detecting micro-strip gas counters

Systematic measurements of the energy resolution available from a Micro-Strip Gas Counter (MSGC) are presented. The effect of factors such as bias potential, gas filling and strip geometry on the energy resolution are examined in detail and related to a simple model. The geometry of the MSGC is adapted to permit “wall-less” detection of X-rays and this results in useful improvements in the pulse height spectra.