Aging Investigation of CMS EMU Prototype Chambers

The aging investigation results of CMS EMU prototype chambers are presented. Aging tests under sustained irradiation by a 90Sr 2 Ci were performed with three working gas mixtures Ar( 30%)+CO2( 50%)+CF4( 20%), Ar( 30%)+CO2( 70%) and Ar( 40%)+CO2( 50%)+CF4( 10%). For Ar( 30%)+CO2( 50%)+CF4( 20%) mixture gas gain reduction was not observed up to the accumulated charge Q = 13.56 C/cm. However, the dark current in the chamber was noticeable starting already from Q = 2 C/cm. The absence of the CF4 ( in the Ar/CO2 gas mixture) caused fast aging deterioration, and Q = 0.2 C/cm was enough to obtain 50% of the gas gain reduction. In the test with Ar( 40%)+CO2( 50%)+CF4( 10%) mixture the gas gain reduction and the dark current increase were not observed up to Q = 13.35 C/cm. Reduction of the gas flow rate to 0.1 volume per day caused 50% of the gain decrease due to the gas pollution by fragments of dissociated gas molecules. The gain restored after switching back to the 1 volume per day flow rate. Studies with electronic microscope suggest that in all the tests a silicon contained in RTV sealing and FR4 is the major source of the chamber contamination.