  A novel design of Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs), using only a single
resistive plate, is being proposed. Based on this design, two large size
prototype chambers were constructed and were tested with cosmic rays and in
particle beams. The tests confirmed the viability of this new approach. In
addition to showing an improved single-particle response compared to the
traditional 2-plate design, the novel chambers also prove to be suitable for
calorimetric applications.
