Time Projection Chamber (TPC)

Daniel Chivers,
University of California, Berkeley
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Summer Student
August 24, 2001

Abstract:
One of the goals of the Time Projection Chamber is to determine the trajectory of incoming gamma radiation. The current strategy is to detect the sequence of a Compton event followed by a photoelectric event within the chamber to calculate the incoming vector. This strategy requires the ability to characterize the initial path of the Compton electron with some certainty. There is some debate as to how well one could determine the initial path of Compton electron given the reduced resolution due to diffusion of the track as it drifts toward the detection anode. The process of understanding the track data that the TPC will yield begins with a basic understanding of electron stopping power within matter. Specifically, one must determine how to optimize the track to enable preservation of trajectory information during the drift process. The goals of this talk is to review the semi-classical concepts of heavy particle stopping power, explain the corrections to electrons, and provide an intuitive understanding of the track information which the TPC will produce.