Particle, Nuclear and Astrophysics Lab

Particle, Nuclear and Astrophysics Lab



Description of the measurements

List of the measurements

  1. Study of Cherenkov-radiation (CSM)
  2. Reactor physics measurements (REF)
  3. Nuclear element analytics (NEA)
  4. Mössbauer-spectroscopy (MOS)
  5. Element analytics with X-rays produced by accelerated particles (PIX)
  6. Astronomical observational exercises at Piszkéstető (PTM)
  7. Digital image processing in astrophysics (KFD)
  8. Studies of magnetohydrodynamical waves (MHD)
  9. Detectors in particle and nuclear physics (RMD)
  10. Building data acquisition systems for scientific research (DAQ)
  11. Accelerator energy calibration with the Al(p,g)Si nuclear reaction (GYE)
  12. Studies of effects of atmospheric aerosols using ion beam microanalythical methods (AER)
  13. Accelerator operation exercises on the new Tandetron of ATOMKI (TDT)
  14. Fundamental measurements in high energy particle and nuclear physics (HEP)
  15. Detection techniques of fast neutrons (GND)
  16. Silicon tracking detectors in high energy physics (ITS)
  17. Seismological measurement underground for gravitational wave research (SEI)
  18. Optically detected magnetic resonance on diamond nitrogen-vacancy centers (ODM)

Study of Cherenkov-radiation (CSM)

Location of the laboratory, contact: ELTE TTK, Department of Atomic Physics
Northern building P.11 (level -1.)
Gábor Veres, 3.83, tel.: 6334 (vg at ludens.elte.hu)

Description of the measurement (HU): [pdf], Exercises (HU): [pdf]

Short description: In this exercise we will study common decay products of particles created in showers initiated by cosmic rays, the muons. The muons will be detected by two scintillator rods placed above each other, requiring the coincidence of the signals arriving from them. The high-speed muons emit Cherenkov-radiation in a water tank placed between the two rods, which is registered by another very sensitive photoelectron-multiplier. The position of the rod can be changed, and the Cherenkov-angle can be measured based on the coincidence rates counted at various positions. The experimental results will be compared in detail with theoretical predictions, as well as cosmic muon fluxes measured by other experiments. The detailed assembly, adjustment, commissioning, verification and operation of the equipment, as well as writing a simple computer simulation to help interpret the data also belongs to this exercise.

Reactor physics measurements (REF)

Location of the laboratory, contact: Institute of Nuclear Techniques, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, building "TR" (educational nuclear reactor): map

Lab supervisors and descriptions of the measurements:
Determination of delayed neutron parameters (András Horváth, horvath.andras at reak.bme.hu) [pdf EN]
Neutron activation analysis (András Horváth, horvath.andras at reak.bme.hu), [pdf EN]
Determination of the thermal neutron flux (András Horváth, horvath.andras at reak.bme.hu), [pdf EN]
Critical and subcritical experiments with the nucelar reactor (András Horváth, horvath.andras at reak.bme.hu), [pdf EN] ,[pdf HU]

Short description: The students will conduct the above listed measurements over the course of this exercise on four different days. Each measurement forms a separate unit.

Nuclear element analytics (NEA)

Location of the laboratory, contact: HUN-REN Wigner RCP, Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics. Building 13, office 112. Phone: +36/1-392-2222/3962 map
Edit Szilágyi (szilagyi.edit at wigner.hun-ren.hu)

Instructions (EN): [pdf].
Instructions, first part (HU): [pdf], second part (HU): [doc], [htm], [pdf]

Short description: The students will be introduced to element analytics methods based on the scattering of accelerated ions. In solid state materials with various chemical composition one will have to determine the quantity and depth distribution of additives. We are going to use a He beam accelerated to a few MeV energy. We will identify the elements that are heavier than He with RBS method (Rutherford Backscattering), and that are lighter with ERDA method (Elastic Recoil Detection). The measurements will be conducted at the 5 MeV Van de Graaff accelerator of the Wigner RCP. During these measurements, the students will learn the preparation of samples for the measurements, the preparation of the vacuum, the positioning and focusing of the ion beam, the acquisition of scattering spectra and their evaluation.

Mössbauer spectroscopy (MOS)

Location of the laboratory, contact: HUN-REN Wigner RCP, Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics. Building 13, offices 12 and 7. Phone: +36/1-392-2761
Dénes Lajos Nagy (nagy.denes at wigner.hun-ren.hu),

Instructions, first part (HU): [doc], [htm], [pdf], Second part (HU): [pdf].
An introduction in English (EN): [pdf]
The material from an Erasmus-school (EN): [ppt] and the corresponding problems (EN): [ppt]
For those interested more deeply, can read the following paper (EN): [pdf] and presentation (EN): [ppt].
Further reading on the Mössbauer spectroscopy at synchrotrons (EN): [pptx].
Finally, on the latest results and development plans of the laboratory, see this presentation (HU): [pptx].
Short description: This measurement is an advanced continuation of the introductory laboratory of the Mössbauer effect within the Modern Analysis Methods Laboratory (BSc 6th semester).

Element analytics with X-rays produced by accelerated particles (PIX)

Location of the laboratory, contact: HUN-REN Wigner RCP, Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics.
Building 13, office 103 and basement, laboratory 19. Phone: +36/1-392-2222/1778 map
Edit Szilágyi (szilagyi.edit at wigner.hun-ren.hu)

Mérésleírás/instructions: [pdf]

Short description: The Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) method can be applied widely, and it is a high-sensitivity, multi-element analytics method. We will direct the ion beam of few MeV, produced by the particle accelerator, on the sample to be studied, which induces a characteristic X-ray radiation in the sample. The chemical composition of the sample can be determined based on the detection of these X-rays. With the PIXE method one can analyze very small amounts of sample with a sensitivity of around ppm (parts per million) level, as well as the complex determination of the chemical composition of the sample in combination with other ion beam analytics methods. The PIXE method with external beam often finds its application in the analysis of artwork and archeological artifacts. During the laboratory we will get familiar with the operation of the Van de Graaff-type particle accelerators, and with the specifics of the experimental work conducted at large infrastructure and facilities.
The website of the laboratory, where further introductory informations can be obtained, can be found at this address.
Literature for the preparation:
1.) Modern Fizikai Laboratórium jegyzet (szerk.: Papp Elemér): Röntgen-fluoreszcencia analízis (XRF) és a Moseley-törvény
2.) Az atomenergia és magkutatás újabb eredményei sorozat, 9. kötet: Ionokkal keltett Auger-eletkronok és röntgensugárzás (szerk: Koltay Ede)

Astronomical observational exercises at Piszkéstető (PTM)

Location of the laboratory. Piszkéstető Observatory.
Contact: Krisztián Sárneczky (sarneczky.krisztian at csfk.org) at Piszkéstető
Date: To be agreed with the instructors.
Travel: the groups should take the regular bus from the "Stadion" bus terminal (Budapest) on Friday at 13:15, and arrive at Piszkéstető at 15:26. On their way back, they should start on Sunday at 15:15 from Piszkéstető and arrive at Budapest at 17:30. The bus stop is called "Mátraszentimre, Csillagvizsgáló bejárati út". These are direct buses, no need to change. The bus tickets have to be paid by the students (but can be reimbursed, see instuctions from G. Veres). Please see a map of the bus stop and the Observatory.
Accommodation: housing will be offered at Piszkéstető in the Observatory for the students.
Meals: Everyone should bring sufficient food for the weekend with them. The Observatory is in a fairly remote place with no restaurants or shops close by. We cannot contribute to the cost of the meals.
Program: TBA by the instructor of the exercise.
Equipment: Please bring your own laptops, preferably running Linux, and a headlight or flashlight. For the observation at night in the observation dome without heating we strongly recommend to bring very warm clothes, winter coat, and so on, even if the daytime temperature is warm.
Material for preparation: We are going to use FITSH, awk, bash and gnuplot - please make sure you are familiar with those. More details about FITSH can be found here. We are also going to use the DS9 astronomical image processing program, the bash/linux command line, the awk script, the gnuplot plotting/fitting tool. Please read important information on aperture photometry here, and about basic CCD image processing here.

Digital image processing in astrophysics (KFD)

Location of the laboratory, contact: Eövtös Loránd University, Institute of Physics, Department of Atomic Physics
Northern building, 3rd floor, office 3.86
Zsolt Frei (frei at alcyone.elte.hu)

Short description: We will familiarize ourselves with the image processing methods commonly used in astrophysics, the improvement of CCD pictures, the determination of the luminosity of stars. Detailed instructions can be obtained from Zsolt Frei before the laboratory exercise starts.

Studies of magnetohydrodynamical waves (MHD)

Location of the laboratory and contact: HUN-REN Wigner RCP, Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics.
Building 2, office 124. Phone: +36/1-392-2222 (1728). map
Zoltán Németh (nemeth.zoltan at wigner.hun-ren.hu), Anikó Timár (timar.aniko at wigner.hun-ren.hu)

Short description: Study of magnetohydrodynamical waves in the heliosphere based on observations from the twin STEREO solar probe. After the introduction into Basic Space Plasma Physics, we learn the background of solar wind measurements. Then we process raw observational data, where we search and interpret solar events. We study planetary and cometary magnetospheres and analyze plasma properties measured by different spacecraft orbiting these celestial bodies.

Literature:

Detectors in particle and nuclear physics (RMD)

The location of the measurement, contact:
HUN-REN Wigner RCP, Department of High Energy Physics, map,
Gergő Hamar (Hamar.Gergo at wigner.hun-ren.hu), Dezső Varga (Varga.Dezso at wigner.hun-ren.hu)

Description of the measurement: [pdf]

Short description:
This laboratory course series gives an introduction to some well-known detectors in particle physics, with simple exercises to understand their main characteristics and applications.
The Laboratory Course could include the following sections (3 of 4):
A) Scintillators and PhotoMultiplier Tubes
B) Multi-Wire Proportional Chamber
C) Tracking with Gaseous Detectors
D) MicroPattern Technology and Photon Detection

Building data acquisition systems for scientific research (DAQ)

Place and contact: HUN-REN Wigner RCP, Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics. Building 2, office 006. Phone: +36/1-392-2222 (1834). map,
Kiss Tivadar (Kiss.Tivadar at wigner.hun-ren.hu), Barnaföldi Gergely (Barnafoldi.Gergely at wigner.hun-ren.hu)

Description of the measurement (HU): [doc]

Further material (HU): [ppt] ,[ppt]

Short description:
We introduce the student to the building and programming of a FPGA-based data acquisition system for high-energy particle detectors, which is able to handle hundred thousand or even more high-speed data channels. This lab is primarily recommended to students interested in digital electronics and programming.

Accelerator energy calibration with the Al(p,g)Si nuclear reaction (GYE)

Location of the measurement, contact: Institute for Nuclear Research, Debrecen, Van de Graaff-5 accelerator, webpage, György Gyürky (gyurky at atomki.hu)

Description of the measurement (HU): [pdf]

The accelerator does not operate on weekends, so the measurement is normally conducted in two consecutive working days in Debrecen, with early travel to Debrecen on the first morning, one night have to be spent in Debrecen, and continuing work on the second day, travel back to Budapest on the evening of the second day.

Short description: Nuclear reactions having narrow resonances with precisely known energy provide a possibility for the absolute energy calibration of particle accelerators. 27Al(p,g)28Si is such a reaction which has a resonance at 992 keV. The measurement of this resonance will be used to determine the energy of the proton beam provided by the Tandetron accelerator of ATOMKI. The first task of the lab practice will be the production of a thin layer Al target by vacuum evaporation. This target will then be irradiated at the accelerator and the gamma radiation form the resonance will be detected by a HPGe detector. The absolute efficiency of this detector will also be measured which will allow the determination of the strength of the studied resonance, too. In the two days spent in Debrecen, some experience can be gained in target preparation, gamma-detector calibration and electrostatic accelerator operation. The third day of the practice is devoted to data analysis at home.

Studies of effects of atmospheric aerosols using ion beam microanalythical methods (AER)

Location of the measurement, contact: Institute for Nuclear Research, Debrecen, Van de Graaff-5 accelerator, webpage, Zsófia Kertész (zsofi at atomki.hu)

Description of the measurement (HU): [pdf]

Short description: These days one of the most important environmental problems in urban areas is the atmospheric aerosols (also known as airborne particulate matter – APM) pollution. Due to its negative effect on human health, as well as their significant role in the radiation balance of the Earth, precise, quantitative survey of the properties of atmospheric aerosol particles is not only important for researchers, but also for governments and authorities (see e.g. EU directive 2008/50 or WHO air quality guidelines). Primary features of APM are the concentration, chemical composition and size distribution. The aim of the research is the characterization of aerosol pollution as well as the study of aerosol exposure on humans. The work is connected to the atmospheric aerosol research conducted in the Institute for Nuclear Research (ATOMKI), Debrecen. The exercise takes 2-3 days (on consecutive days). The tasks are: sample collection, the determination of PM concentration and the elemental composition of aerosol samples using particle induced-X-ray emission (PIXE) ion beam analytics methods, at the Tandetron accelerator in ATOMKI.

Accelerator operation exercises on the new Tandetron of ATOMKI (TDT)

The location of the measurement, contact: Institute for Nuclear Research, Debrecen, Tandetron accelerator, webpage of the Tandetron, István Rajta (rajta at atomki.hu)

Map and directions to the Tandetron Laboratory (EN): [pdf]

GPS coordinates: 47.542765, E21.623186

Description of the measurement (EN): [pdf]

Description of the measurement (HU): [pdf]

Short description: The new Tandetron accelerator of ATOMKI was commissioned in 2014, it was originally equipped with a duoplasmatron ion source. In 2018 there was a major upgrade on the system, thus the present configuration consists of two multicusp ion sources (for H and He), and a cesium sputter ion source (for various heavy ions), and a large 90-degree analyzing magnet. The students will have the opportunity to work with the newest and most modern particle accelerator of Hungary, and conduct exercises with it. The operation of the accelerator is fully controlled by a computer. Most important parameters: minimum terminal voltage is 85 kV, maximum terminal voltage is 2200 kV, stability is better than 200 V, maximum proton and helium beam currents are 200 and 40 microamperes, respectively. The lab exercise takes two days, and it may be possible to accept more than one group (advance arrangements are always necessary).

Measurements in High Energy Physics (HEP)

Location, contact: Eötvös University, Department of Atomic Physics & HUN-REN Wigner Research Center for Physics
Máté Csanád (csanad at elte.hu) és Róbert Vértesi (vertesi.robert at wigner.hun-ren.hu)

Measurement description (HU): [pdf], simulation software and data usage help: [html]
The Υ measurement description: [pdf]
Further reading: [pdf], [pdf]

Short description: The main goal of high energy nuclear or heavy ion physics is to understand the strong interaction better, and to investigate the properties of the strongly interacting quark gluon plasma (sQGP) that filled the early uninverse in the first few microseconds after the big bang. In order to do so ultrarelativistic particles or nucleii are collided. We then investigate the distributions the particles created in these collision, via the freeze-out of the sQGP, few fm/c after the collision. From these distributions, we may infer the properties and time evolution of the sQGP. Goal of present measurement is to understand some of the basic measurements of high energy physics, based on simulations and simplified real data. This measurement requires the knowledge of c++, and ROOT knowledge is a plus (but this can be learned on the way). All the software can be run on the standard operating systems (windows 10, ubuntu, macOS/OS X) via a unix terminal.

Detection techniques of fast neutrons (GND)

Location, contact: ELTE TTK, Department of Atomic Physics
Ákos Horváth (akos at ludens.elte.hu)

Short description: The investigation of a neutron detector during this lab will demonstrate the operating principles of large neutron detector systems used in nuclear physics laboratories worldwide. Here we detect neutrons originating from a californium source using liquid scintillation technique. The first issue is to investigate pulse shape discrimination properties of the detector after digitalization of the signal, which enable us to discriminate neutrons from gamma rays. The fit of the pulse shape to a known function (from the literature) will be used. The second issue is the investigation of the efficiency of the neutron detection. We will run neutrondetector simulation softwares the establish our results by theoretical framework, as well.
Literature: [pdf], [pdf], [pdf], [pdf], [pdf], [pdf]

Silicon tracking detectors in high energy physics (ITS)

Location of the laboratory, contact: HUN-REN Wigner RCP, Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics.
Barnaföldi Gergely (barnafoldi.gergely at wigner.hun-ren.hu)

Description of the measurement (HU): [pdf]

Short description: Few microseconds after the Big Bang, the matter of the Universe existed in a quark-gluon plasma phase, which can be reproduced in small drop within lead-lead collisions of the Large Hadron Collider (CERN LHC). The quark-gluon plasma is a strongly interacting fluid in which the quarks are not confined into hadrons. The properties of the strong interaction can be studied through the deeper understanding of the quark-gluon plasma. The ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is one of the four biggest experiments of the CERN and focusing on the study of heavy-ion (mainly Pb-Pb) collisions. The measurements of the ALICE experiment require very fast and precise tracking detectors. For this reason several upgrades were made between 2019 and 2021. One of the developments was the upgrade of the Inner Tracking System (ITS) of ALICE, which opened a new opportunity for the accurate vertex point measurement and the precise path determination of the particle types. These novel detectors were equipped with Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS'), but existing sensors were not able to meet all the requirements of ALICE beyond the Run-2 data taking period. ALICE developed a new detector type, called ALICE PIxel DEtector (ALPIDE), which became one of the most advanced MAPS detectors these days. During this laboratory exercise students learn about the MAPS-type silicon detectors and their properties through the measurements with the upgraded verson of the ALPIDE detector, ALTAI.

Investigation of the seismic background noise of gravitational wave detectors using spectral methods (SEI)

Location of the laboratory, contact: HUN-REN Wigner RCP, Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics.
Edit Fenyvesi (fenyvesi.edit at wigner.hun-ren.hu), Gergely Barnaföldi (barnafoldi.gergely at wigner.hun-ren.hu)

Description of the measurement: [pdf]

Short description: Gravitational waves are caused by the accelerated movement of matter, where neither spherical nor cylindrical symmetry applies to the movement. Examples include colliding and merging astronomical binaries e.g. consisting of black holes and neutron stars. Gravitational waves are currently detected with interferometric gravitational-wave detectors. The seismic vibrations of the Earth also contribute to the measurement noise of the detectors. The vibrations are coupled into the structures holding the mirrors (test masses) of the interferometers, causing the mirrors to move. The displacement noise of the mirrors can be significantly reduced by choosing the right suspensions. The monitoring of seismic vibrations with seismometers enables the characterization of the continuously present background noise by spectral methods. During the planning process, the seismic noise dampening ability of the suspension of the mirrors can be determined. As a result of the procedure, a transfer function characterizing the given suspension is obtained, which can be used to calculate the mirror displacement noise spectrum caused by the seismic noise background measured at a given installation location. Seismic vibrations, can also be detected with accelerometers and geophones in addition to seismometers. The three instrument types have different inherent noise, sensitivity and frequency range. In this laboratory excercise, the students get to know the operation of the measuring different instruments and compare their capabilities. They find out which one(s) are suitable for measuring the seismic background noise of a gravitational-wave detector. They calculate the mirror displacement noise of an imaginary gravitational wave detector installed thirty meters below the Earth's surface. They determine what gravitational wave-producing phenomena could be observed with this detector given the calculated noise background. We will conduct a seismological measurement using a detector located underground in the Jánossy cavern on the KFKI campus at Csillebérc. The results are relevant for the qualification of this measurement site for the research of gravitational waves.

Optically detected magnetic resonance on diamond nitrogen-vacancy centers (ODM)

Location of the laboratory, contact: HUN-REN Wigner RCP, Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics.
Simon Ferenc (simon.ferenc at ttk.bme.hu), Kollarics Sándor (kollarics.sandor at wigner.hun-ren.hu)

Description of the measurement: [pdf]

Short description: The aim of this lab practice is to learn the basics of an experimental technique called optically detected magnetic resonance [1, 2] (ODMR) that belongs to the family of magnetic resonance measurements such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) or electron spin resonance (ESR) (also known as electron paramagnetic resonance). ODMR is a form of electron spin resonance but instead of measuring the absorbed or reflected microwaves directly, ODMR detects the changes in the photoluminescence (or the absorption in a rare case) intensity that arise in a presence of an electronic spin transition between two spin sublevels with different luminescence decay rate. ODMR can be detected on spins that are involved in an optical transition enabling us to separate our signal from a background caused by other paramagnetic impurities that are optically "silent". ODMR promises high sensitivity detection of spin transitions in organic and inorganic semiconductors (such as carbon nanotubes, fullerenes and defects in various bulk semiconductors) due to the fact that in the (visible) optical regime easy-to-use detectors with a quantum efficiency close to unity are already in use. In contrast, microwave detectors are limited by thermal noise and detection of single microwave photons is still a challenge [3]. We study ODMR on one of the most famous systems in this field, namely the negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamonds. The NV centers have spin triplet ground and excited states deep in the wide bandgap of the diamond host making them like well-isolated and protected single molecules. This isolation manifests in long spin coherence time making NV centers and similar complex defects a possible realization of quantum information storage with the advantage of optical addressability. In this lab practice students will get familiar with (i) the basics of the ODMR technique (ii) the theory of NV centers and (iii) the data analysis of ODMR experiments based on spin Hamiltonian simulations (Python or Matlab preferred).
[1] E. Goovaerts Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance (ODMR) eMagRes 6, 343358 (2017)
[2] D. Carbonera Optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) of photoexcited triplet states Photosynth. Res. 102, 403–414 (2009)
[3] A. L. Pankratov, L.S. Revin, A. V. Gordeeva et al. Towards a microwave single-photon counter for searching axions NPJ Quantum Inf. 8, 61 (2022)



Particle, Nuclear and Astrophysics Lab