V. Peskov et al., SURFACE STREAMER BREAKDOWN MECHANISMS IN MICROSTRIP GAS COUNTERS, Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment, 392(1-3), 1997, pp. 89-93
We have studied breakdown mechanisms in MSGCs. For comparison, ''micro
strip detectors'' without dielectric substrates were also tested. We f
ound that detectors without substrates can always operate at gas gains
5-10 times higher than those with substrates, and that these higher g
ains are limited by self-quenched streamers. In the case of microstrip
detectors with substrates, streamers also occur, but have a very narr
ow (in voltage) self-quench region and then transit rapidly to a ''gli
ding'' discharge. We have tested new geometries of MSGC which allow hi
gh gains (> 10(5)) to be reached.