Ageing tests on the low-resistivity RPC for the ALICE dimuon arm

The trigger for the Dimuon Forward Spectrometer of the forthcoming ALICE experiment at CERN LHC will be provided by low-resistivity, single gap Resistive Plate Chambers working in streamer mode. Different ageing test were performed to measure and improve the life-time of the detector. Dummy chambers have been built to understand the effects of continuous gas flow upon the Bakelite resistivity: the results concerning our standard gas mixture (49% Ar, 40% forane, 7% isobutane and 4% SF6) are reported, and compared with the same mixture in which similar to 1% of water vapor is added. Moreover, two ageing test of I month each have been carried out at the Gamma Irradiation Facility at CERN during 2001. The efficiency for cosmic rays under gamma irradiation of RPCs coated with different thicknesses of linseed oil was measured. After protracted operation, the detectors have shown an increase of the current and of the background rate. The increase is slower in the chamber with a thicker oil coating. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.