  Timing information in current and future accelerator facilities is important
for resolving objects (particle tracks, showers, etc.) in extreme large
particles multiplicities on the detection systems. The PICOSEC Micromegas
detector has demonstrated the ability to time 150\,GeV muons with a sub-25\,ps
precision. Driven by detailed simulation studies and a phenomenological model
which describes stochastically the dynamics of the signal formation, new
PICOSEC designs were developed that significantly improve the timing
performance of the detector. PICOSEC prototypes with reduced drift gap size
($\sim$\SI{119}{\micro\metre}) achieved a resolution of 45\,ps in timing single
photons in laser beam tests (in comparison to 76\,ps of the standard PICOSEC
detector). Towards large area detectors, multi-pad PICOSEC prototypes with
segmented anodes has been developed and studied. Extensive tests in particle
beams revealed that the multi-pad PICOSEC technology provides also very precise
timing, even when the induced signal is shared among several neighbouring pads.
Furthermore, new signal processing algorithms have been developed, which can be
applied during data acquisition and provide real time, precise timing.

Instrumentation and Detectors