Sector multipad prototype of the FMD-MCP detector for ALICE

We present results of the technology, manufacturing and first tests of a no vel MCP-based sector prototype for the forward multiplicity detector for th e ALICE experiment at the LHC. The detector provides better than sqrt(M)/M resolution for high multiplicity events, and about 50 ps timing resolution. Two sector MCPs are mounted on a 200 mu m ceramics board with the multipad readout integrated with a passive summator. The setup is baked under 300 d egrees C and then sealed into a thin wall (200 mu m) stainless-steel vacuum sector chamber with a Ti getter keeping a vacuum of 10(-5) Torr. A new tec hnology of Al coating is applied in order to reduce the hydrogen leakage th rough the chamber walls. New multichannel ceramics feedthroughs were also d eveloped for the signal readout and voltage supply. The results of the firs t in-lab and in-beam tests are discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. Al l rights reserved.