Position-sensitive  Parallel  Plate  Avalanche  Counters  (PPACs) are gaseous detectors that have  been  developed  since  the lates 90s and play a very important role detecting heavy ions for tuning of the beam production in fragment separators (where the ions are produced and selected) but also  for rare isotope  beam delivery lines  to  the  scientists. One  of  the  most  important  features  of  the  PPAC  detector  is  that  the  amount  of  substance seen by particles passing through it  is  quite  small. Consequently, there is a significantly less perturbation in the production  and delivery of rare isotope beams and they  are durable with relatively easy maintenance  because of their simple structure. 

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The PING students were tasked to build two 10 cm x 10 cm PPAC detectors over the course of  one week from scratch. The work involved: handling and stretching a 1.5 um aluminized Mylar foil used for the cathode and anode as well as the gas windows, placing thin layers of cement and vacuum compatible glue to hold the foils onto FR4 boards and aluminum frames, solder ground and signal cables along with some resistors and capacitors.