Reduction of Dead Times and Dead Zones in the Self-Quenching Streamer Mode at High Pressures and High Quencher Concentrations

The large saturated pulses referred to as "self-quenching streamer" (SQS) provide a convenient and inexpensive method of radiation detection. Our previous work has revealed a strong dependence of the dead time, and of the length of the dead zone along the anode, on the pressure of the gas filling and on the concentration of the quenching component of this filling. These measurements have been extended to higher pressures and higher quencher concentrations with the object of achieving the smallest dead times and dead zones while still retaining the large amplitudes and fast rise times characteristic of the SQS mode of operation.