ICFA Instrumentation Bulletin, Volume 24, Spring 2002 Issue (SLAC-J-ICFA-024)

Abstract

The aging phenomena are very complex physical and chemical processes. The author attempts to qualitatively discuss various physical processes contributing to aging. The satisfactory quantitative explanation is not presently available. In this sense, there is little progress made since the 1986 LBL Aging Workshop. However, what was accomplished during the past decade is a heightened awareness from the research and management sides to pay more attention to this problem, and as a result a number of aging tests have increased in quantity and quality. These efforts will undoubtedly yield some new results in the future. Examples in this paper are mainly from a "pre-LHC and pre-HERA-B era of aging," where the total charge dose is limited to much less than one C/cm.

Resistive plate chambers in running and future experiments

“…The analysis of the replaced BaBar RPCs has put in evidence the role of chemical processes [10], occurring during the operation of the detector, which may alter the physical and chemical properties of both bakelite and linseed oil.…”

“…However, the model that describes conduction in standard glasses [10] predicts that the operation of the detector causes a permanent increase in glass surface resistance, which may lead to observable effects in the long term. Apart from this potential problem, the high resistivity of glass represents a limitation for Belle from the point of view of rate capability.…”