A drift tube construction includes a thin wall aluminum tube with a thin wire at its center attached to a terminal. The tube is plugged at both ends. The terminal is embedded at the center of the plug with material insulating it from Drift tube main body. The Drift tube assembly is sealed and filled with a gas mixture. A voltage is applied to the thin wire via the terminal. Current drift tubes employ plastic material to insulate the terminal from Drift tube main body and O-rings to provide a near hermetic seal.