development of micro-pattern gaseous detectors – gem - LMU

Acknowledgements
First of all I would like to thank my advisor Prof. Otmar Biebel for the opportunity to write this
thesis. I am grateful for his invaluable support and advice over the last year.
I am deeply indebted to Dr. Ralf Hertenberger for the excellent supervision throughout the entire
thesis process. I appreciate the assistance he provided at all levels of the research project.
My sincere thanks are due to Prof. Dorothee Schaile for the cordial welcome at her chair.
I owe gratitude to Prof. Wolfgang Dünnweber for being the second advisor of this thesis.
I would like to thank Jonathan Bortfeldt for his precious company during the last six years, his encouragement
and becoming a real friend.
I am grateful for the support of Alexander Ruschke, Albert Engl, Andrè Zibell and Nicola Tyler, who
offered helpful advice in the hardware group meetings and on the balcony.
I would also like to thank Marcus Otten for his editing assistance.
Thanks are also due to the entire working group for creating a pleasant and friendly atmosphere
in Munich and at conferences, Stefanie Adomeit, Steve Beale, Dr. Philippe Calfayan, Dr. Günter
Duckeck, Johannes Ebke, Dr. Johannes Elmsheuser, Dr. Marie-Helene Genest, Julien de Graat, Dr.
Christian Kummer, Dr. Federica Legger, Markus Lichtnecker, Jeanette Lorenz, Christoph Anton
Mitterer, Christian Meineck, Dr. Thomas Müller, PD Dr. Thomas Nunnemann, Dr. Felix Rauscher,
Dr. Michiel Sanders, Christopher Schmitt, Dr. Cedric Serfon, Attila Varga, Tobias Verlage, M.Sc.
Dan Vladoiu, Josipa Vujaklija, Dr. Rod Walker, Jonas Will as well as Josephine Wittkowski and Dr.
Xuai Zhuang.
I further would like to thank the members of the electronic laboratory of the LMU at Garching,
Johann Karg, Johann Krapfl and Peter Klemm for the production of the required electronics,
especially for the implementation of the layout of the highly segmented anode.
A special thanks goes to the entire mechanical laboratory of the LMU at Garching for the production
of the triple GEM detector housing.
Especially I would like to thank Robert Schnell from the HISKP in Bonn for his help and support in
the development of the APV readout system.
Further thanks to Bernhard Ketzer at the TU Munich for providing the APV25 frontend modules.
I am grateful to my parents, Ingrid and Hubertus Heereman, for the support they provided throughout
my entire studies. I would like to thank my partner Maria for her love and for giving me encouragement
throughout the years.