Testing a large size triple GEM detector for the first station of the CBM-Muon Chambers with a high-intensity gamma source at GIF++ under large-area illumination

Abstract: The physics studies at heavy-ion nucleus-nucleus collision experiments demand reliable detectors at high particle flux. Therefore, Gas Electron Multipliers (GEM) detectors, which show resilience to extreme radiation, are one of the prime choices for the upcoming Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment at the Facility of Antiproton and Ion Research, Germany. However, operating them under these demanding conditions requires a systemic study at the highest incident particle flux. To this end, we have conducted extensive tests on a real-size triple GEM detector module with the high-intensity gamma flux using the Cs-137 source at the upgraded Gamma Irradiation Facility (GIF++) at Conseil Europ\'een pour la Recherche Nucl\'eaire (CERN). The detector response, particularly regarding the gain and efficiency of muon detection, was studied extensively with and without a gamma source in a free-streaming mode using self-triggered electronics. This configuration will be necessary for the CBM experiment since it will observe unprecedented event rates of about 10 MHz for Au-Au collisions. The analysis reveals an alignment between the expected and observed value of gain and efficiency with an increasing intensity of gamma flux at the operating voltage. The test results demonstrate that the large-size GEM detector prototype can handle elevated gamma rates of approximately 17.25 MHz/cm2 without significantly impacting its performance or suffering irreversible damage.