[en] In this paper the AMS experiment and its physics potentials are discussed. The description of the experimental apparatus and design goals are also given. (orig.)

[en] The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment is realized in two phases. A precursor flight (STS-91) with a reduced experimental configuration (AMS01) has successfully flown on space shuttle Discovery in June 1998. The final version (AMS02) will be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) as an independent module in early 2006 for an operational period of three years. The main scientific objectives of AMS02 include the searches for the antimatter and dark matter in cosmic rays. In this work we will discuss the experimental details as well as the improved physics capabilities of AMS02 on ISS

[en] In this experiment a basic technique to test response of a silicon microstrip detector to minimum ionizing particles from 90Sr beta source is presented. The silicon detector used in this test is made of double sided microstrip sensors coupled to a front-end electronics, both used in the AMS01 experiment [Alcaraz et al.,]. Using betas from 90Sr source, placed on top of the active area of the silicon, and a plastic scintillator coupled to a photomultiplier, it is possible to trigger the readout system of the silicon detector. The setup of the silicon detector system is described and the performance results are analyzed

[en] Commercial off-the-shelf components can be successfully used in scientific payloads installed in spacecraft flying on Low Earth Orbits (LEO). Several experiments (AMS01, NINA) have already used these components, some others are planning to use them (AMS02, PAMELA and GLAST). In order to establish the reliability of these components careful tests need to be performed according to space qualification rules. There are two main types of possible damage that needs to be tested: the total dose damage and the single event effects (SEE). In this paper we will describe the physical cause of both the effects, explain how to conduct a test according to ESA/SSC standard rules and give some examples of components that have been tested by the AMS collaboration

[en] A pulsed nanosecond IR laser diode system to automatically test the Single Event Effects in laboratory is described. The results of Single Event Latchup (SEL) test on two VLSI chips (VA_HDR64, 0.8 and 1.2 μm technology) are discussed and compared to those obtained with high-energy heavy ions at GSI (Darmstadt)

[en] We have studied the characteristics of CF₄-based nonflammable gas mixtures for plastic streamer tubes. For various combinations of CF₄ + hydrocarbon and CF₄ + hydrocarbon + Ar we measured the singles counting rate plateau, the charge spectrum and the average drift time over the cell. The hydrocarbons used were respectively isobutane, n-pentane and n-hexane. The stability of these mixtures is good, and their spurious streamer activity is compared with the standard binary or ternary mixture. The drift velocity is at least twice as high as in the standard mixtures. (orig.)

[en] The dosimetry of gases like radon and thoron (²22Rn and ²20Rn) is important in several fields of general interest, such as radioprotection uranium mines, environmental health, house construction, geophysical research, medical therapy (i.e. radon baths), background measurements for experiments that study exotic processes, study of seismic events, since ²22Rn is released in soil cavities prior to the earthquake and radiometric dating of materials. In this work we will present the Terradex project which is a system capable to perform accurate measurements of ²19Rn, ²22Rn and ²20Rn (produced by the decay chains of ²35U, ²38U and ²32Th respectively) gases concentration in air, water or other fluid. The instrument is based on silicon microstrip detectors inserted in a cylindrical fiducial volume, connected to the front-end data acquisition electronics and to a pneumatic system providing high vacuum. The experimental apparatus, data acquisition system, details of calibration procedures and of data analysis will also be discussed

[en] First results for the AMS silicon tracker readout performance are presented. Small 20.0x20.0x0.300 mm³ silicon microstrip detectors were installed in a 50 GeV electron beam at CERN. The detector readout consisted of prototypes of the tracker data reduction card equipped with a 12-bit ADC and the tracker frontend hybrid with VA_hdr readout chips. The system performance is assessed in terms of signal-to-noise, position resolution, and efficiency

[en] Tracking with silicon strip detectors for relativistic ions has been investigated using a ¹²C beam of 1.5 GeV/u at GSI. The ionization charge spectrum and the charge sharing between strips are presented. The strip cluster of carbon ion can be selected based on the cluster charge with high efficiency and little contamination. The spatial resolution of the silicon strip detectors is evaluated. The angular distribution of multiple Coulomb scattering was investigated with lead absorbers. The results are compared to the Moliere theory and the Gaussian approximation of GEANT calculations. (author)

[en] The silicon tracker of the AMS-02 detector measures the trajectory in three dimensions of electrons, protons and nuclei to high precision in a dipole magnetic field and thus measures their rigidity (momentum over charge) and the sign of their charge. In addition, it measures the specific energy loss of charged particles to determine the charge magnitude. Ladders from the AMS-02 tracker have been exposed to ion beams at CERN and GSI to study their response to nuclei from helium up to the iron group. The longest ladder, 72x496mm², verified in the tests contains 12 sensors. Good charge resolution is observed up to iron