High Pressure TPCs for Neutrino Interactions

The Center for Particle Physics at Royal Holloway is offering a PhD opportunity for building high pressure time projection chambers (HPTPCs) for studying neutrino interactions.

An important open question in physics is why we live in a matter-dominated universe. CP violation searches in neutrino oscillation experiments are a leading strand of inquiry. The ability to measure neutrino oscillations is currently limited by our knowledge of neutrino cross sections. To improve oscillation measurements, the uncertainty on neutrino cross sections must be reduced. HPTPCs are a new type of particle detector under development which offers an increase in resolution and sensitivity to enable this reduction.

The PhD student will work on a constructing, operating, and analyzing a prototype HPTPC, with the goal of putting the prototype in a CERN test beam and collecting first data with this detector. There are also opportunities for further data analysis with existing neutrino experiments. These activities will build a broad range of skills, including detector hardware development, advanced simulation techniques, advanced statistical data analysis, and presentation of results.

For more information, contact Dr. A. Kaboth at [Email Address Removed]