Project Announcements

Red Pitayas are open-source FPGA based multifunctional instruments. They can be used as multiple software-defined instruments such as oscilloscope, signal generator, spectrum analyzer and many more and are used in many applications to replace expensive and bulky devices.
For the project, the AG's own Red Pitaya will first be put into operation and basic functions such as the oscilloscope mode, the histogramming of data and the readout of a germanium detector will be developed. After the first steps, the aim is to program a multi-channel ditigalizer based on several linked Red Pitayas.
The FPGA is programmed via Vivado. Since the Red Pitaya is an open-source project, there are many learning materials to familiarize yourself with the device and an active and helpful community.

Requirements:

• Interest in Detector Physics and Programming
• Motivation to work independently
• Sufficient knowledge of English to be able to communicate confidently
• Experience in FPGA programming is desirable

Contact Person:

• Kim Tabea Giebenhain
• Room 128
• Email

μDose @ FemtoSat dosimeter concept based on a silicon diode as a payload for a femto satellite is to be calibrated with the help of laboratory radiation sources or as part of an irradiation period at the Marburg Ion Therapy Center. In addition, individual functions or ICs (e.g. magnetometer and LoRa) are to be tested on the prototype concept and adjustments made within the readout routine of the ICs with the microntroller. Individual aspects can be dealt with as part of a study project or comprehensively as part of a thesis.

In addition, the project can be considered in a larger framework and the completion of the concept for a launch with the satellite concept of AmbaSat Ltd. can be advanced, whereby the focus is more on the further development of the circuit board layout, the optimization of the electronics used (mainly the power supply by the DC/DC converter) and the stress test by temperature and vacuum.

Requirements:

• Interest in Detector Physics and Dosimetry
• Interest in Micro Controllers
• Interest in Measurement Technology
• Interest in Programming

Contact Person:

• Dr. Roman Bergert
• Room 208
• Email

Lead tungstate (PbWO4 or PWO) is a scintillation material used in various experiments, e.g. CMS at LHC in CERN. A new material (PWO-II) with improved properties was developed for the PANDA experiment at FAIR in Darmstadt. PWO-II is subject of various projects in our working group, e.g. measurements of light transmittance in PWO-II after irradiation with a Co-60 source were done. To to obtain a better understanding of radiation induced damage, we want to do theoretical calculations in the framework of density functional theory (DFT) to calculate the light transmittance in PWO-II with different defects implemented.

Prerequisites:

• Interest in Condensed matter theory (especially DFT)
• Interest in simulation software
• Basic knowledge of solid-state physics

Contact Person

• Ather Ahmad
• Room 131
• Email

As part of the particle detector concept RUBIK @ ROMEO (satellite mission of the IRS Stuttgart), consisting of 125 segmented scintillation cubes and specially developed readout electronics, the measurement routine is to be extended and new functionalities developed using a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The aim is to expand the existing basic signal processing and communication via UART and to query and process additional functionalities such as the recording of status messages, statistics of individual measurement channels (count rates etc.) and parameters of individual electronic components (e.g. voltage thresholds of DACs).

Prerequisites:

• Interest in programming
• Experience with FPGA programming desired
• Motivation to work independently

Contact Person

• Dr. Roman Bergert
• Room 208
• Email

As part of the particle detector concept RUBIK @ ROMEO (satellite mission of the IRS Stuttgart), consisting of 125 segmented scintillation cubes and specially developed readout electronics, it is planned to carry out radiation tests. The aim is to evaluate the radiation compatibility of the overall concept and selected components. This could also involve a simulative comparison based on the ESA's SPENVIS software (based on Geant4).

Prerequisites:

• Interest in particle detectors and radiation tests
• Basic comprehension of the interaction of radiation with matter
• Motivation to work independently

Contact Person

• Dr. Roman Bergert
• Room 208
• Email

Exposure to radiation can lead to malfunctions in active, implanted medical devices.
The most likely cause is single particles hitting the memory of the device and changing information through bit flips.
The aim of this project is to investigate the reaction of intrathecal infusion pumps to particle radiation.
To this end, several pumps are to be irradiated at a neutron source or in the proton beam at the Marburg Ion Beam Therapy Center (MIT) and then read out.
An irradiation plan is to be drawn up in order to finally quantify the influence of the radiation dose on pump malfunctions.

Prerequisites:

• Interest in experimental physics in the field of medical physics
• Interest in learning about and handling professional measuring equipment
• Interest in systematic measurements, their documentation and evaluation
• C/C++ or Python knowledge desired but not required

Contact Person

• Lara Dippel
• Room 107
• Email