Research on discharges in micropattern and small gap gaseous detectors

Abstract

This report summarizes the present knowledge on discharges in micropattern and small gap gaseous detectors and the physical mechanisms involved. These include the space-charge (Raether's) limit, rate-induced breakdown, cathode excitation effect and electron emission from the cathodes in the form of jets, inter-GEM breakdown in multistep configurations and finally surface streamers.

This report was written in the framework of the RD51 collaboration