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Article
Report number	physics/0702189
Title	The CAST Time Projection Chamber
Author(s)	Autiero, D. (CERN ; Lyon, IPN) ; Beltrán, B. (Queen's U., Kingston) ; Carmona, J.M. (Zaragoza U.) ; Cebrián, S. (Zaragoza U.) ; Chesi, E. (CERN) ; Davenport, M. (CERN) ; Delattre, M. (CERN) ; Lella, L.Di (CERN ; Pisa, Scuola Normale Superiore) ; Formenti, F. (CERN) ; Irastorza, I.G. (CERN ; DAPNIA, Saclay) ; Gómez, H. (Zaragoza U.) ; Hasinoff, M. (British Columbia U.) ; Lakić, B. (Boskovic Inst., Zagreb) ; Luzón, G. (Zaragoza U.) ; Morales, J. (Zaragoza U.) ; Musa, L. (CERN) ; Ortiz, A. (Zaragoza U.) ; Placci, A. (CERN) ; Rodrigurez, A. (Zaragoza U.) ; Ruz, J. (Zaragoza U.) ; Villar, J.A. (Zaragoza U.) ; Zioutas, K. (CERN ; Patras U.)
Publication	2007
Imprint	22 Feb 2007
Number of pages	19
Note	19 pages, 11 figures and images, submitted to New Journal of Physics
In:	New J. Phys. 9 (2007) 171
DOI	10.1088/1367-2630/9/6/171
Subject category	Other Fields of Physics
Abstract	One of the three X-ray detectors of the CAST experiment searching for solar axions is a Time Projection Chamber (TPC) with a multi-wire proportional counter (MWPC) as a readout structure. Its design has been optimized to provide high sensitivity to the detection of the low intensity X-ray signal expected in the CAST experiment. A low hardware threshold of 0.8 keV is safely set during normal data taking periods, and the overall efficiency for the detection of photons coming from conversion of solar axions is 62 %. Shielding has been installed around the detector, lowering the background level to 4.10 x 10^-5 counts/cm^2/s/keV between 1 and 10 keV. During phase I of the CAST experiment the TPC has provided robust and stable operation, thus contributing with a competitive result to the overall CAST limit on axion-photon coupling and mass.

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