The large scintillation charged particles detector of the Tien-Shan complex “ATHLET”

A new type of scintillation detectors for the mountain cosmic ray complex ATHLET is designed at the Institute for High Energy Physics (IHEP). The detector is implemented on the basis of 10 mm thick molded polystyrene plates in conjunction with wavelength shifting fibers. It has a 1×1m2 sensitive area, ∼99% registration efficiency of charged particles and a homogeneity of the scintillation light output better than 90%. Due to its relatively low mass and cost characteristics and the absence of an external high-voltage power source it suits well for the use in wide-spread multi-channel extensive air shower installations.