High granularity, symmetric differential readout - timing multigap RPC

In this contribution we report the results of R&D activity concentrated on the development of a multigap RPC prototype with strip readout for high counting rate and high multiplicity environment as it is required by the low polarangle region of CBM-TOF detector. In order to cope with the strong counting rate requirements of the inner part of the CBM-TOF wall (∼ 2x10 part.·cm−2·s−1 ), we built few prototypes using as resistive electrodes a special low resistivity glass with a resistivity of the order of 10 Ωcm [1, 2]. The obtained results showed that very good time resolution MRPC for high counting rate environment, up to 16,000 part.·cm−2·s−1 are feasible. Nevertheless, the low polar-angle region requires not only a high counting rate performance, but also a high granularity detector to meet the multiplicity challenge (up to 1000 tracks/event at 25·A GeV Au+Au collisions). For this particular region of the TOF wall we designed and built a RPC prototype with a readout electrode with short 46 mm length strips.