Research in Cosmology and Dark Matter Instrumentation (LBNL)
Applications for Fall 2024 are closed for this project.
We are working on precision measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) – the relic thermal radiation that decoupled from the primordial plasma when the universe was just 0.003% of its current age. Measurements of the CMB have been central to the formation of the modern picture of the universe, and the next generation of experiments stands to probe the physics of the hypothesized period of cosmic inflation during which the seeds of cosmic structure were sown, measure fundamental properties of neutrinos through their effect on gravitational lensing of the CMB, and constrain possible beyond-the-Standard-Model particles and dark matter.
Current projects include ground-based telescope arrays in the Chilean Atacama desert and the geographic South Pole such as the Simons Observatory and CMB-S4. These telescopes operate hundreds of thousands of superconducting sensors at a temperature of ~0.1 Kelvin along with ~meter scale refractive optics operating at a temperature of ~1 Kelvin, posing many exciting instrumentation challenges. Our group focuses on developing and implementing the instrumentation required to enable and operate these cutting-edge observatories.
Many technologies developed for CMB telescopes are similar to those needed for other high-energy physics research areas. In particular, as these technologies mature and as the traditional WIMP paradigm as a candidate for dark matter becomes more and more constrained, searches for lower-mass candidates are beginning to take off. Many of these searches use arrays of superconductor-based sensors cooled to sub-Kelvin temperatures. We are also working in concert with the dark matter group at LBNL to adapt superconducting sensor technology from CMB experiments to aid in the search for low-mass dark matter.
Role: Several research tasks associated with these instrumentation development activities are appropriate for undergraduate researchers. These include software modeling of telescope sensitivities and systematics, CAD design and simulation of experiment components, development of cryogenic measurement infrastructure and techniques, and design and testing of measurement circuitry.
Effort will be made to select projects that align with the student's interests, skills/prior experience, and the research group's needs. In addition to gaining hands-on experience with modern high energy physics instrumentation, students will be encouraged to gain a broad understanding of the experimental landscape. Additionally, there may be possibilities for continuation of research through the summer with paid summer internships.
Qualifications: Applicants should be in their second year, third, or fourth year of a physics or engineering program. Prior computer programming experience is desirable, and hands-on experience with laboratory instrumentation is a plus.
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: John Groh, Staff Researcher
Hours: 9-11 hrs
Off-Campus Research Site: LBNL, Building 50
Related website: https://johncgroh.github.io
Related website: https://cmb-s4.org/