         a    afe    ab    a  !  a  " # a    cd  $  ! c   % b  &’   (  a a Department of Particle Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot, Israel b Department of Physics of the University and I"F" Milan, I%20133 Milan, Italy c Instrumentation Center, Department of Physics, University of Coimbra, 3004%516 Coimbra, Portugal d Department of Physics, University of Beira Interior, 6201%001 Covilhã, Portugal e CER", 1206 Geneva, Switzerland f Ecole "ationale Superieure des Mines de St. Etienne, France g Physikalisch%Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), 38116 Braunschweig, Germany E%mail:  ABSTRACT: The operation of Thick Gaseous Electron Multipliers (THGEM) in Ne and Ne/CH 4 mixtures, features high multiplication factors at relatively low operation potentials, in both single* and double*THGEM configurations. We present some systematic data measured with UV*photons and soft x*rays, in various Ne mixtures. It includes gain dependence on hole diameter and gas purity, photoelectron extraction efficiency from CsI photocathodes into the gas, long*term gain stability and pulse rise*time. Position resolution of a 100x100 mm 2 X*ray imaging detector is presented. Possible applications are discussed. KEYWORDS: Gaseous detectors; Electron multipliers (gas); Thick GEM. * Corresponding author.