Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Stefan Schönert

Phone: +49 89 289 12511
Room: 3053
E-Mail: 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

WS 2022/3 SS 2022 WS 2021/2 SS 2021

Title and Module Assignment
Art	SWS	Lecturer(s)	Dates
Introduction to Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics eLearning course Assigned to modules: PH0016: Einführung in die Kern-, Teilchen- und Astrophysik / Introduction to Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics
VO	2	Schönert, S.	singular or moved dates
Exercise to Introduction to Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics eLearning course Assigned to modules: PH0016: Einführung in die Kern-, Teilchen- und Astrophysik / Introduction to Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics
UE	2	Strauß, R. Responsible/Coordination: Schönert, S.	dates in groups
Current Topics in Astro-Particle Physics Assigned to modules: PH6077: Aktuelle Fragen der Astroteilchenphysik / Current Topics in Astro-Particle Physics
SE	2	Oberauer, L. Schönert, S.	singular or moved dates
FOPRA Experiment 56: Cosmic Messengers: Catch Cosmic Rays with Silicon Photomultipliers (AEP, KM, KTA) course documents Assigned to modules: PH0030: Fortgeschrittenenpraktikum für Bachelorstudierende / Advanced Lab Course for B.Sc. Students PH1030: Fortgeschrittenenpraktikum für Masterstudierende / Advanced Lab Course for Master Students PH9130: Physikalisches Fortgeschrittenenpraktikum für Lehramtsstudierende / Advanced Lab Course in Physics for M.Ed. Students
PR	1	Vogl, C. Responsible/Coordination: Schönert, S.
FOPRA Experiment 02: Measurement of the Radon Concentration in Room Air (AEP, KTA) Assigned to modules: PH0030: Fortgeschrittenenpraktikum für Bachelorstudierende / Advanced Lab Course for B.Sc. Students PH1030: Fortgeschrittenenpraktikum für Masterstudierende / Advanced Lab Course for Master Students PH9130: Physikalisches Fortgeschrittenenpraktikum für Lehramtsstudierende / Advanced Lab Course in Physics for M.Ed. Students
PR	1	Comellato, T. Responsible/Coordination: Schönert, S.
Neutrinos and Dark Matter in Astro- and Particle Physics Colloquy Assigned to modules: PH6117: Neutrinos and Dark Matter in Astro- and Particle Physics Colloquy / Neutrinos and Dark Matter in Astro- and Particle Physics Colloquy
KO	2	Majorovits, B. Mertens, S. Resconi, E. Schönert, S. Weiler, A.
Instruction for the Advanced Lab Course (FOPRA) eLearning course current information Assigned to modules: PH0030: Fortgeschrittenenpraktikum für Bachelorstudierende / Advanced Lab Course for B.Sc. Students PH1030: Fortgeschrittenenpraktikum für Masterstudierende / Advanced Lab Course for Master Students PH9130: Physikalisches Fortgeschrittenenpraktikum für Lehramtsstudierende / Advanced Lab Course in Physics for M.Ed. Students
OV	0.1	Schönert, S. Sharp, I.	singular or moved dates

Offered Bachelor’s or Master’s Theses Topics

CRESST: Freezing cold, deep underground, illuminating the dark (matter)

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 will further improve the energy threshold, which will significantly boost the physics reach of the experiment.

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.

The theses can be carried out at the Chair for astroparticle physics of the Physics Department and/or at the Max-Planck-Institute for Physics (MPP). Supervision at the Physics Deptartment by Prof. Schönert / Dr. Strauss and at the MPP by Prof. Schönert / Dr. Federica Petricca. Please contact schoenert@ph.tum.de, raimund.strauss@ph.tum.de and petricca@mpp.mpg.de for further information.

We will organize a dedicated meeting for interested (bachelor) students on Tuesday, February 1, 14:00-16:00. For more information please check https://www.moodle.tum.de/course/view.php?id=75320 . Also Master students are welcome to join the meeting.

suitable as

Master’s Thesis Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics

Supervisor: Stefan Schönert

CRESST: Freezing cold, deep underground, illuminating the dark (matter)

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.

suitable as

Bachelor’s Thesis Physics

Supervisor: Stefan Schönert

LEGEND: Why does matter prevail over antimatter in today's Universe?

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, particles identical to their antiparticles.

This is a key ingredient for the explanation 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 the Standard Model of particle physics. The so-called neutrinoless double-beta (0nbb) decay simultaneously transforms two neutrons inside a nucleus into two protons with the emission of two electrons. The LEGEND-200 experiment, currently under commissioning at the Italian Gran Sasso underground laboratory aims to be the first experiment to probe half-lives beyond 1E27 years.

We offer the opportunity to carry out exciting experimental BSc (and MSc) theses with a focus on:

- liquid argon detector development: SiPMs, VUV light detection and wavelength shifting, xenon-doping, trace analysis;

- germanium detectors: detector design, modeling of signal generation, pulse shape analysis, surface event discrimination;

- new software tools and algorithms: classical techniques, machine learning methods;

- data analysis: rare line searches, exotic decays, time and spatial coincidence searches;

- Monte Carlo simulations: light propagation and detection in liquid argon, gamma rays from radioactive decays, isotope production deep underground by cosmic rays;

and, if interested, can participate in the operation of the main experiment at Gran Sasso.

You would be fully integrated into the research team and would work closely together with our international partners.

The theses can be carried out at the Chair for astroparticle physics of the Physics Department. Supervision at the Physics Deptartment by Prof. Schönert and his team. Please contact schoenert@ph.tum.de for further information.

We will organize a dedicated meeting for interested bachelor students on Tuesday, February 1, 14:00-16:00. For more information please check https://www.moodle.tum.de/course/view.php?id=75320 . Also Master students are welcome to join.

suitable as

Master’s Thesis Nuclear, Particle, and Astrophysics

Supervisor: Stefan Schönert

LEGEND: Why does matter prevail over antimatter in today's Universe?

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. <o:p></o:p>

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, particles identical to their antiparticles. <o:p></o:p>

This is a key ingredient for the explanation 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. <o:p></o:p>

Majorana neutrinos would lead to nuclear decays that violate lepton number conservation and are therefore forbidden in the Standard Model of particle physics. The so-called neutrinoless double-beta (0nbb) decay simultaneously transforms two neutrons inside a nucleus into two protons with the emission of two electrons. The LEGEND-200 experiment, currently under commissioning at the Italian Gran Sasso underground laboratory aims to be the first experiment to probe half-lives beyond 1E27 years. <o:p></o:p>

We offer the opportunity to carry out exciting experimental BSc (and MSc) theses with a focus on:<o:p></o:p>

- liquid argon detector development: SiPMs, VUV light detection and wavelength shifting, xenon-doping, trace analysis;

- germanium detectors: detector design, modeling of signal generation, pulse shape analysis, surface event discrimination; <o:p></o:p>

- new software tools and algorithms: classical techniques, machine learning methods; <o:p></o:p>

- data analysis: rare line searches, exotic decays, time and spatial coincidence searches; <o:p></o:p>

- Monte Carlo simulations: light propagation and detection in liquid argon, gamma rays from radioactive decays, isotope production deep underground by cosmic rays; <o:p></o:p>

and, if interested, can participate in the operation of the main experiment at Gran Sasso. <o:p></o:p>

You would be fully integrated into the research team and would work closely together with our international partners. <o:p></o:p>

The theses can be carried out at the Chair for astroparticle physics of the Physics Department. Supervision at the Physics Deptartment by Prof. Schönert and his team. Please contact schoenert@ph.tum.de for further information. <o:p></o:p>

We will organize a dedicated meeting for interested bachelor students on Tuesday, February 1, 14:00-16:00. For more information please check https://www.moodle.tum.de/course/view.php?id=75320 . Also Master students are welcome to join.

suitable as

Bachelor’s Thesis Physics

Supervisor: Stefan Schönert