First in-beam studies of a Resistive-Plate WELL gaseous multiplier

We present the results of the first in-beam studies of a medium size (10$\times$10 cm${}^2$) Resistive-Plate WELL (RPWELL): a single-sided THGEM coupled to a pad anode through a resistive layer of high bulk resistivity ($\sim$10${}^9\mathrm{\Omega }$cm). The 6.2~mm thick (excluding readout electronics) single-stage detector was studied with 150~GeV muons and pions. Signals were recorded from 1$\times$1 cm${}^2$ square copper pads with APV25-SRS readout electronics. The single-element detector was operated in Ne(5% $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_4$) at a gas gain of a few times 10${}^4$, reaching 99$\mathrm{\%}$ detection efficiency at average pad multiplicity of $\sim$1.2. Operation at particle fluxes up to $\sim$10${}^4$ Hz/cm${}^2$ resulted in $\sim$23$\mathrm{\%}$ gain drop leading to $\sim$5$\mathrm{\%}$ efficiency loss. The striking feature was the discharge-free operation, also in intense pion beams. These results pave the way towards robust, efficient large-scale detectors for applications requiring economic solutions at moderate spatial and energy resolutions.