Extensive beam test study of prototype MRPCs for the T0 detector at the CSR external-target experiment

The Cooling Storage Ring (CSR) External-target Experiment (CEE) will be the first large-scale nuclear physics experimental device at the CSR of the Heavy-Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL) in China. A new T0 detector has been proposed to measure the multiplicity, angular distribution and timing information of charged particles produced in heavy-ion collisions at the target region. Multi-gap resistive plate chamber (MRPC) technology was chosen as part of the construction of the T0 detector, which provides precision event collision times (T0) and collision geometry information. The prototype was tested with hadron and heavy-ion beams to study its performance. By comparing the experimental results with a Monte Carlo simulation, the time resolution of the MRPCs are found to be better than ps. The timing performance of the T0 detector, including both detector and readout electronics, is found to fulfil the requirements of the CEE.