  Time projection chambers (TPCs) have found a wide range of applications in
particle physics, nuclear physics, and homeland security. For TPCs with
high-resolution readout, the readout electronics often dominate the price of
the final detector. We have developed a novel method which could be used to
build large-scale detectors while limiting the necessary readout area. By
focusing the drift charge with static electric fields, we would allow a small
area of electronics to be sensitive to particle detection for a much larger
detector volume. The resulting cost reduction could be important in areas of
research which demand large-scale detectors, including dark matter searches and
detection of special nuclear material. We present simulations made using the
software package Garfield of a focusing structure to be used with a prototype
TPC with pixel readout. This design should enable significant focusing while
retaining directional sensitivity to incoming particles. We also present first
experimental results and compare them with simulation.
