A compact time-zero detector for mass identification of heavy ions

Abstract A time-zero detector to be used in a time of flight-energy telescope for the mass identification of heavy ions is described. The secondary electrons emitted from a thin carbon foil during the passage of the ions are accelerated and bent through 90° by electrostatic fields onto a micro-channel-plate electron multiplier. A time resolution of 150 ps and a mass resolution ΔM M = 1 80 are obtained in heavy ion experiments.