Tests of Cathode Strip Chamber Prototypes

We report on the results of testing two six-layer 0.6 x 0.6 cm^2 cathode strip chamber ( CSC) prototypes in a muon beam at CERN. The prototypes were designed to simulate sections of the end-cap muon system of the Compact Muon Solenoid ( CMS) detector which will be installed at the Large Hadron Collider ( LHC). We measured the spatial and time resolutions of each chamber for different gains, different orientations with respect to the beam direction and different strength magnetic fields. The single-layer spatial resolution of a prototype with a strip pitch of 15.88 mm ranged from 78 micron to 468 micron, depending on whether the particle passed between two cathode strips or through the center of a strip; its six-layer resolution was found to be 44 micron. The single-layer spatial resolution of a prototype with a strip pitch of 6.35 mm ranged from 54 to 66 micron; its six-layer resolution w as found to be 23 micron. The efficiency for collecting an anode wire signal from one of six layers within a 20 ns time window appropriate for the LHC was found to be greater than 95% in normal running conditions.