For the first time, a method for fabricating a perforated metallised structure based on polyurethane has been implemented for the development of amplifying elements in a well-type gas electron multiplier (GEM). The structure was fabricated by additive manufacturing with further laser drilling for perforation, and subsequent metallisation with chromium (Cr) layer by magnetron sputtering. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the presence of an ordered array of holes in the fabricated perforated structures. Cross-sectional SEM analysis revealed a truncated conical shape of the drilled holes with an apex angle of 78°, with average diameters of 300±30 m (metallised side) and 200±20 m (back side). Chromium sputtering onto the surface of perforated plate shows its insufficient deposition on the inner surfaces of the holes. The metallised perforated plate, tested as a well-type GEM amplifying element at E = 23. 4–24 kV/cm, showed G = 1. 3 104. It is shown that combination of additive and laser technologies is prospective for production of amplifying elements of gas-discharge detectors for NICA (Joint institute for nuclear research, Russia), LHC (CERN, Switzerland, France), and similar experiments empowering particle physics and detector engineering teams with advance instrumentations. Amplifying element for GEM detectors made by laser micro-drilling of 3D-printed polymer, with further Cr coating achieved gas gain of 1. 3104, matching existing detectors. Perforated plates contain holes cone-shaped (78°), 300 m front, 200 m back. Polymer handles higher heat than fiberglass, improving detector durability for particle physics experiments.
Shmanay et al. (Wed,) studied this question.