An integrated photosensor readout for gas proportional scintillation counters

A xenon gas proportional scintillation counter has been instrumented with a novel photosensor to replace the photomultiplier tube normally used to detect the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) secondary scintillation from xenon. In this implementation, the collector grid of a planar gas proportional scintillation counter also functions as a multiwire proportional chamber to detect and amplify the photoelectrons emitted from a reflective CsI photocathode located in the xenon gas. This integrated concept combines greater simplicity, compactness, and ruggedness with low power consumption. An energy resolution of 12% was obtained for 59.6-keV X-rays.