Quickcal 12 Mar 1999

			  Minutes of meeting
		       held on 12th March 1999


Present : RMB, DI, PSF, DJAC, ALL, MS.

MS   -	Setting up 1.8T system to test new VPTs, tried using Stephenson amp
	but had pick-up problems, so reverted to using Canberra PAD814A amp.
	Tested one 1500 lpi device, #39, and one 1000 lpi, #29, the gain
	obtained by operating device as diode and then triode were as follows
	#39  Gain= triode mean/diode mean = -6.71/-1.29 nVs = 5.20
	#29                                 -8.89/-1.32 nVs = 6.73
	These figures are of the same magnitude as Derek's DC measurements.

DI   -	Reported on the status of VPT testing at Brunel, distributed printout
	of spreadsheet detailing devices tested and results.
	Hamamatsu consistently better than E.T.
	Still have problem of different gain resulting from DC and pulsed 
	measurements.(pulsed give abnormally high results, DC give 5-8 ).

	**Some discussion followed as to possible causes and general direction
	of VPT project.
	Derek asked to lead the drawing up of the specification for tendering.
	The next VPTs from Russia are expected to be handed over during CMS
	week (15th March 1999).

RMB  -	Management committee documentation.
	Management board.
	Papers on CMS overview and organisation.
	Refereeing LHCB.

	Next week, Interviewing job applicants, then CERN for CMS week.
	The following week there is the John Taylor visit to CERN.

PSF  -	Looking into resins for gluing VPTs.
	Thesis.
	General administrative jobs.
	As part of the research into resins have developed program to look at
	the error on the transmission through the interface, as result found
	that the refractive index of the glue is of minor importance provided
	its refractive index is between that of the VPT glass window and that
	of the PWO.

	** Discussions ensued and as a result the following list of priorities
	was drawn up -
	1)Test beam glue for 1999 (requirements less stringent).
	2)Glue irradiation (Brunel Co60, ISIS for neutrons).
	3)Peeling/handling tests (thermal cycling)
	4)Accelerated aging tests
	5)Literature search.
	6)Optimisation of test equipment.

DJAC -	Two reports for management committee.
	100 Stephenson amps have been ordered, 40 with slower time constant for
	the Brunel test rig.
	FRJ has found 40 CMS Stephenson amps at CERN.

ALL  -	Working on hardware for 1.8T multichannel system and beam line control.
	Some SSD work.
	Labs reorganisation.

Martin Sproston 19th March 1999.
 
 



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Martin Sproston,
Senior Scientific Officer, Particle Physics Department,
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX.
tel: 01235 445668   fax: 01235 446733
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