Retgem with polyvinylchloride electrodes

This paper presents a new design of Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) based on electrodes made of polyvinylchloride plastic (PVC)-Resistive Electrode Thick GEM (RETGEM). Our device can operate with the gain up to 10 5 as a conventional GEM at low counting rates and as RPC (Resistive Plate Counter) in case of high counting rates without the transit to the violent sparks. The distinct feature of present RETGEM is the absent of the metal coating and lithographic technology for manufacturing of the protective dielectric rims. The electrodes made of PVC permit us to make the holes by a simple drilling machine. RETGEM-like detectors could be useful in many fields of application requiring a cheaper manufacturing and safer operation, for example, in large neutrino experiments, in TPC, RICH systems, etc.