M.Sc. Alexander Wex

Offered Bachelor’s or Master’s Theses Topics

Cryogenic Properties of Detector Materials for the NUCLEUS Experiment

The detection of coherent-neutrino nucleus scattering (CEvNS) opens a new window to study the fundamental properties of neutrinos and to probe physics beyond the Standard Model of Particle Physics. NUCLEUS is a novel cryogenic neutrino experiment at a nuclear power reactor which allows for precision measurements of CEvNS at unprecedentedly low energies. It is based on recently demonstrated ultra-low threshold cryogenic detectors being developed at TUM. Accessing energies in the 10eV regime enables to fully exploit the strongly enhanced cross section of CEvNS which leads to a miniaturization of neutrino detectors. The NUCLEUS collaboration consists of 5 institutes in Germany, France, Italy and Austria and is fully funded. The experiment will be installed at a new experimental site at the CHOOZ nuclear power plant in France. In the framework of this thesis, the cryogenic properties of detector materials are investigated. This work will focus on the measurement of the heat capacities of different crystalline and plastic scintillator materials, which values are widely unknown and of high interest for the NUCLEUS experiment as well as for the scientific community. The results are expected to lead to a scientific publication on the topic. The Bachelor student will be mainly involved in: * Development of a device for heat capacity 
measurements 
 *  Setting up and performing measurements in a 
cryostat 
 * Analysis of the taken data Students will be guided to the operation of the dilution refrigerator cryostats at TUM , to preform heat capacity measurement campaigns and to analyse the data recorded. A background in basic programming is welcome, but not mandatory. For more information please check https://www.moodle.tum.de/course/view.php?id=75320

suitable as

• Bachelor’s Thesis Physics

Supervisor: Raimund Strauß