bochenek.indd

Abstract. In all measurement systems of radiation, the detector is the most important part. We can say that it is the heart of these systems. Gas detectors are still the most popular type of detector. Modern technologies allow manufacturing gas detectors having a very good energy and position (2D) resolution, high efficiency, large effective area, small count rate effect, radiation hardness, good signal-to-noise ratio and not complicated structure. These detectors are very fast and can stably work for a long period of time. One advantage of gas detectors is the possibility to read not only charge, but also UV light generated in the detector. In this paper we want to make a review of construction, mechanical properties, performance and possible applications of the following so-called micropattern gas detectors (MPGD): microstrip gas chamber (MSGC), gas electron multiplier (GEM), MICRO-MEsh GAseous Structure (MICROMEGAS) and capillary plate detector (CP)