FYSS3550 Techniques for Nuclear and Accelerator-based Physics Experiments (10 cr)
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to operate various radiation detectors used in nuclear and accelerator-based physics experiments, construct measurement and coincidence circuits from modular electronics and acquire spectra using radiation detectors and recognise features of spectra from radiation detectors and relate them to the physical processes causing them. Students will be able to manipulate the trajectories of ions through a recoil separator and compare observations to ion-optical calculations, operate an ISOL-type mass separator and guide an ion beam through the system starting from previous beam line settings and experimentally determine the mass resolving power of a mass separator. They will be able to characterise the composition of thin films of materials using ion-beam techniques and predict the main features of the spectrum from a Rutherford Backscattering experiment based on reaction kinematics and interaction cross-sections. They will also be able to identify different radiation environments affecting electronic systems, diagnose the radiation sensitivity of simple electronic components, differentiate the radiation induced error types in electronics and their physical mechanisms and interpret radiation test data to estimate soft error rates.
Study methods
Laboratory work, written assignments, examination
Content
Interaction of radiation with matter; principles, construction and operation of radiation detectors; basics of signal processing in nuclear physics experiments; production, separation and manipulation of (radioactive) ions with energies in the eV to GeV range; methods to determine atomic masses; methods in Nuclear Spectroscopy; characterisation of materials with energetic ion beams; basic mechanisms of radiation effects in electronics; radiation environments governing the reliability of electronics
Further information
Given on spring semester, every year starting spring 2018.
Materials
Lecture slides and associated notes; relevant contemporary articles given by lecturers; independent literature searches
Literature:
| ISBN-number | Author, year of publication, title, publisher |
|---|---|
| Glenn F. Knoll, Radiation Detection and Measurement | |
| Juhani Kantele, Handbook of Nuclear Spectrometry | |
| W.R. Le, Techniques for Nuclear and Particle Physics Experiments |
Assessment criteria
Active participation in the lectures is expected. The laboratory experiments will be carried out in small groups (2-4 persons) and are compulsory. The final grade is based on examination (30 %) and laboratory work and associated reports (70%).
Prerequisites
Students enrolling to this course are expected to have completed the course Nuclear Physics (FYSS3300).