Item CERN-OBJ-DE-038 - PS wire chamber

Object

Three pieces. Wire chambers used for the beams at CERN's Proton Synchrotron accelerator in the 1970s. Multi-wire detectors contain layers of positively and negatively charged wires enclosed in a chamber Multi-wire detectors contain layers of positively and negatively charged wires enclosed in a chamber full of gas. A charged particle passing through the chamber knocks negatively charged electrons out of atoms in the gas, leaving behind positive ions. The electrons are pulled towards the positively charged wires. They collide with other atoms on the way, producing an avalanche of electrons and ions. The movement of these electrons and ions induces an electric pulse in the wires which is collected by fast electronics. The size of the pulse is proportional to the energy loss of the original particle.

Public

50 cm 2 cm 50 cm

On loan, CERN User's Office.

<!--HTML--><U>Previous exhibition venues</U>: <br />- University of Paris (October 1999)