Prototype tests of a ''jet cell'' drift chamber for large-area muon detection

Large-area, high-precision drift chambers, based on the "jet cell" concept, have been developed for the muon spectrometer of the ATLAS experiment at LHC. Emphasis is placed on the control and reduction of systematic error in the drift measurement and in the mechanical construction. Results of measurements on prototypes are given. These indicate that a global precision of σ ≲ 70 μm is achievable for large-area chambers