A procedure for the characterization of electron transmission through Frisch grids

In Frisch grid ionization chambers special attention must be paid to the operating voltages in order to avoid unwanted collection of electrons on the Frisch grid. Collection of electrons on the grid will lead to a decreased signal to noise ratio and consequently a deteriorated energy resolution. Furthermore, systematic errors in the determination of the angular distribution will be introduced. Theoretical formulas for minimized collection of electrons on the grid were derived by Bunemann et al. [3] in the special case of a Frisch grid consisting of a plane of parallel wires. No such formulas exist for other grid geometries and a careful calibration procedure is needed. We describe here a procedure for characterizing the Frisch grid in terms of its transparency to electrons for a grid consisting of a mesh of crossed wires.