Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Stefan Schönert
- Phone
- +49 89 289-12511
- Room
- PH: 3053
- schoenert@ph.tum.de
- Links
-
Homepage
Page in TUMonline
- Group
- Experimental Astro-Particle Physics
- Job Title
- Professorship on Experimental Astro-Particle Physics
- Consultation Hour
- on appointment
Courses and Dates
Offered Bachelor’s or Master’s Theses Topics
- Analysis of data from the DEAP-3600 dark matter detector
The DEAP dark matter detector has been taking physics data for 3 years, searching for interactions between galactic dark matter particles and the argon target material. This unique dataset spanning hundreds of TB offers many opportunities to study liquid argon scintillation physics, optical processes, and background suppression techniques. MSc and BSc topics related to background suppression through pulse shape analysis, Dark Matter signal modelling, and the study of rare coincidences, are available. Students work within an international collaboration of over 100 physicists and might have the opportunity to visit the detector site at SNOLAB in Canada. Students will acquire skills in data analysis and statistics, C++ and/or python programming, Linux/Unix command line operation, Monte Carlo simulation, and in working with large datasets on high performance computing systems. Students have the chance to practice communicating physics results to other students and experts from many different institutions by presenting their work in bi-weekly project-wide analysis phone-conferences.
- suitable as
- Bachelor’s Thesis Physics
- Master’s Thesis Condensed Matter Physics
- Master’s Thesis Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics
- Master’s Thesis Applied and Engineering Physics
- Supervisor: Stefan Schönert
- CRESST: freezing cold, deep underground, but illuminating the dark
The CRESST (Cryogenic Rare-Event Search with Superconducting Thermometers) experiment operated at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory employs highly sensitive cryogenic detectors to the search for signals of the elusive dark matter particles, a main ingredient of the Universe whose nature is still unknown.
The energy thresholds reached in CRESST-III are the lowest in the field, making CRESST the most sensitive experiment to light dark matter. Optimisation of the tungsten thin-film thermometers and of the techniques for data analysis promise still improvement in energy threshold, which could significantly boost the physics reach of the experiment.
Scientific topics
A student can contribute to:
- design, production and prototyping of new CRESST detectors in Munich
- development of high purity crystals
- development of new software tools for data analysis
- dark matter data analysis
and, if interested, can participate in the operation of the main experiment at Gran Sasso.
Thesis can be carried out at the Max-Planck-Institute for Physics (MPP) und supervision of Dr. Federica Petricca (petricca@mpp.mpg.de) and/or at the Physics Department.
- suitable as
- Bachelor’s Thesis Physics
- Master’s Thesis Condensed Matter Physics
- Master’s Thesis Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics
- Master’s Thesis Applied and Engineering Physics
- Supervisor: Stefan Schönert
- LEGEND: Are neutrinos their own anti-particles?
Neutrinos were discovered in 1956, but only at the turn of the millennium was it experimentally proven that the three known neutrino types can convert into one another. These flavor oscillations are possible only if neutrinos have nonzero mass, which is currently the only established contradiction to the standard model (SM) of particle physics. From tritium beta decay experiments and cosmological observations, we know that their masses are very small—less than 10-5 of the electron mass. Neutrinos are the only fundamental spin-1/2 particles (fermions) without electric charge. As a consequence, they might be Majorana fermions, articles identical to their antiparticles. This is a key ingredient of some explanations for why matter is so much more abundant than antimatter in today’s Universe and why neutrinos are so much lighter than the other elementary particles. Majorana neutrinos would lead to nuclear decays that violate lepton number conservation and are therefore forbidden in theSMof particle physics. The so-called neutrinoless double-b (0nbb) decay simultaneously transforms two neutrons inside a nucleus into two protons with an emission of two electrons. The GERDA experiment and future LEGEND-200 experiment are located in the Italian Gran Sasso underground laboratory and are leading experiments in the world-wide competion.
We offer the opportunity to carry out exciting experimental BSc and MSc theses with focus on liquid argon detector developments, germanium detector developments, data analysis and/or Monte Carlo simulations. You would be fully integrated in the research team and work closely together with our international partners.
- suitable as
- Bachelor’s Thesis Physics
- Master’s Thesis Condensed Matter Physics
- Master’s Thesis Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics
- Supervisor: Stefan Schönert
- LEGEND: Deciphering the signal structure of novel germanium detectors
- suitable as
- Bachelor’s Thesis Physics
- Master’s Thesis Condensed Matter Physics
- Master’s Thesis Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics
- Supervisor: Stefan Schönert
- LEGEND: Visualize light from liquid argon scintillation
- suitable as
- Bachelor’s Thesis Physics
- Master’s Thesis Condensed Matter Physics
- Master’s Thesis Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics
- Master’s Thesis Applied and Engineering Physics
- Supervisor: Stefan Schönert
- Sensitive Tests der Eigenschaften von Wellenlängenschieber für dunkle Materie und neutrinolose Doppel-Beta-Zerfallsdetektoren
Rare event searches looking for neutrino and dark matter interactions are performed with highly sensitive detector systems, often relying on scintillators, especially liquid noble gases, to detect particle interactions. Detectors consist of structural materials that are assumed to be optically passive, and wavelength-shifting materials that absorb photons and re-emit them at wavelengths where their detection is more easy or efficient. MSc theses are available related to measuring the wavelength shifting efficiency of a number of materials that might be used in future detectors. Furthermore, measurements to ensure that presumably passive materials do not re-emit photons, at the low level relevant to the detectors, can be done. Part of the thesis work can include Monte Carlo simulations and data analysis for current and upcoming dark matter detectors, to study the effect of different levels of desired and nuisance wavelength shifting. In this project, students will acquire skills in photon detection, wavelength shifting technologies, vacuum systems, UV and extreme-UV optics, detector design, and optionally in C++ programming, data analysis, and Monte Carlo techniques.
The work will be done in the context of the DarkSide-20k/DEAP-3600 and LEGEND nternational collaborations. This work is done in close collaboration with institutions in Canada, Poland and in Italy with the option of visiting the collaborating institutions. Students have the chance to practice communicating physics results to other students and experts from many different institutions by presenting their work in bi-weekly project-wide phone-conferences.- suitable as
- Bachelor’s Thesis Physics
- Master’s Thesis Condensed Matter Physics
- Master’s Thesis Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics
- Master’s Thesis Applied and Engineering Physics
- Supervisor: Stefan Schönert