Dr. Ph.D. Luca Maria Pattavina

Courses and Dates

Offered Bachelor’s or Master’s Theses Topics

Das NUCLEUS Experiment: Bestimmung des Untergrundes bei tiefen Energien

NUCLEUS is an experiment aiming at the exploration of a new neutrino interaction: coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scattering (CEvNS). This detection channel offers unique possibilities to study the fundamental properties of neutrinos and adresses important questions of modern astroparticle physics. The cross-section of CEvNS is strongly enhanced compared to classic neutrino interactions (by 3-4 orders of magnitude) and therefore allows to drastically reduce the size of neutrino detectors. In Munich we have developed a prototype cryogenic detector that achieved the world-best energy threshold for nuclear recoils of about 20eV, required to exploit the full potential of CEvNS. We’ll install the detector at the CHOOZ nuclear power plant in France, one of the most intense (anti)neutrino sources on Earth. The NUCLEUS experiment is currently being built by an international collaboration lead by TUM, and is funded by the European Commission (ERC Grant), the SFB1258 and the Excellence Cluster ORIGINS. 

We offer an exciting experimental Masters thesis in the framework of the NUCLEUS experiment with a focus on the investigation of backgrounds at lowest energies (<1keV). The origin of the dominating backgrounds in this “new“ energy range are still unknown and its identification is crucial for the success for NUCLEUS and other upcoming CEvNS experiments. The work on the thesis will give insight to low-background techniques, cryogenic detectors and data analysis. The candidate will be fully integrated in the existing research group at TUM and work in cooperation with our international partners. 

suitable as

• Master’s Thesis Condensed Matter Physics
• Master’s Thesis Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics
• Master’s Thesis Applied and Engineering Physics

Supervisor: Raimund Strauß