High Energy Physics Seminars

We present the concept of a Digital Hadron Calorimeter (DHCAL) for use in a detector optimized for the application of Particle Flow Algorithms to the measurement of jet energies. Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) with 1 x 1 cm^2 readout pads are used as active elements. The front-end electronic readout is integrated on the pad-boards of the chambers and applies a single threshold (1-bit) to the signal charges, hence the designation of digital readout. We report on detailed measurements with a small scale prototype in the Fermilab test beam using muons, positrons, pions, and protons and in the laboratory using cosmic rays. The results validate the concept and serve as basis for the design of a large prototype calorimeter. An update on the ongoing construction of the latter will be given.