OVERVIEW

The laboratory course illustrates the techniques used in nuclear and subnuclear physics and allows students to design, carry out, and analyze data from a real experiment.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The laboratory illustrates the main experimental techniques used in fundamental interaction physics and astrophysics and allows students to design, perform and process the data of a real experiment.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will acquire an in-depth understanding of the design and characterization process of particle detectors for experiments in fundamental interaction physics.

They will also acquire the data acquisition and analysis skills necessary to carry out laboratory experiments and discuss their experimental results.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures

Introduction to the apparatus and laboratory techniques used in the experiments (preparation of the experimental work, discussion of the measurements, detectors employed and associated systematics, guidelines for writing a scientific paper).

Laboratory Sessions

• One afternoon: introduction to instrumentation; review of the operation and use of oscilloscopes, generators, etc.
• One afternoon per week for three months:
  guided execution of the two laboratory experiments (Compton effect and electron mass measurement, or muon lifetime measurement), including focused reviews of the related physics and detector concepts.
• One independent laboratory experiment:
  Compton effect and electron mass measurement, or muon lifetime measurement.

Subsequently, students may choose between:

• Further developments of the completed experiment (Monte Carlo simulation of the experiment, apparatus improvements, extension of the scientific scope, etc.)
• The laboratory experiment not performed during the first part of the course.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Review of the physical principles and phenomena governing particle–matter interactions.

Bethe–Bloch formula. Definition of range. Cherenkov effect. Electron interactions with matter. Energy loss by collision. Energy loss by radiation (Bremsstrahlung). Multiple scattering. Radiation length. Photon interactions with matter. Photoelectric effect. Compton effect. Pair production. Electromagnetic showers.

Review of the general characteristics of particle detectors.

Response function, characteristic parameters (sensitivity, resolution, accuracy, precision). Efficiency. Dead time. Noise.

Common classes of detectors used in experiments on fundamental interactions.

Scintillation detectors: organic scintillators, inorganic crystals. Optical signal readout through photosensors.

Information acquisition.

Signals used in nuclear electronics.

Analog processing of pulsed signals: pre-amplification and amplification, transmission, discrimination, and coincidence. The NIM standard.

Digital processing of pulsed signals: analog-to-digital converters, multichannel analyzers.

Data acquisition: trigger-based systems, streaming readout.

Information processing and data analysis.

Review of statistics and error theory.

Fitting and minimization methods, software tools for analysis (ROOT and other programs).

Simulation of experimental data and Monte Carlo methods, software tools for simulation (GEANT4 and other programs).

Presentation of experimental results.

Laboratory Experiments

• Scattering experiment: Compton scattering and measurement of the electron mass.
• Particle detection experiment: muon lifetime and Landé factor measurement.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

W. R. Leo, Techniques for Nuclear and Particle Physics Experiments: A How-to Approach

G. F. Knoll, Radiation Detection and Measurement

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of an oral exam aimed at assessing the student’s knowledge and understanding of the theoretical topics covered during the course, including discussion of the experimental results obtained during the laboratory activities.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam, conducted by the course instructors and possibly assisted by subject experts, consists of a fixed number of questions and discussion of the experimental results related to the laboratory activities carried out during the year.

Questions are designed to assess the student’s level of preparation, knowledge of the topics covered, and ability to express concepts using appropriate scientific language.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Compensatory and dispensatory measures Disability/Invalidity/Specific Learning Disorder

Dispensatory measures and compensatory tools are intended to enable students to achieve the same learning objectives as their fellow students, not to facilitate the examination.

The use of compensatory tools and the application of dispensatory measures must be authorised in advance by the teacher in agreement with the Referee.

To take advantage of the adaptations during the examination, fill in the Adaptation request form; the request will be automatically sent by the system to the teacher in charge of the teaching, to the Contact Person of your School/Area/Department and in copy to the Sector; you will also receive a copy of the request sent by e-mail.

The adjustments available to students are as follows:

• Additional time (+30% DSA)
• Additional time (+50% disability/invalidity)
• Additional time during oral exams to organise the answer
• Calculator (programmable and graphing calculators are not allowed)
• Conceptual Maps
• Tables and/or Forms
• Take the exam in written form
• Take the exam in oral form
• Tutor reader (for written tests only)
• Tutor-writer (for written tests only)

Your request for adaptations must be submitted at least 7 working days before the scheduled exam date.

All information for students with disabilities and DSA is available on the webpage: Services for students with disabilities or DSA | UniGe | University of Genoa

Reference for inclusion: Sergio Di Domizio - sergio.didomizio@unige.it