Nuclear Instrumentation

Experimental nuclear physics routinely requires the construction of new instruments. Often these are one-of-a-kind detectors, scattering chambers, specialized targets for accelerated beams, or ion sources which produce these beams.

Sometimes these instruments are modest, and become a major focus of an individual student’s thesis project. Such examples from our program recently have included the Mini-Tandem Accelerator, the Spin-Filter Polarimeter and the Gas Jet Target, shown at left being adjusted by graduate student Brian Fisher.

We also work in teams with our students and technical staff to design, fabricate, assemble, and test much larger systems which become centerpieces supporting major new research programs lasting for many years. Such examples from our program include TUNL's Laboratory for Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics (LENA) and Polarized Sources and Targets.

Our graduate and undergraduate students are usually heavily involved both in realizing and in using these new devices and systems. This provides them very high-quality technical training, and a set of skills which often proves extremely valuable in their later careers.