ATLAS

( Anna Lipniacka, Gerald Eigen, Bjarne Stugu, Heidi Sandaker)

 1. ATLAS Inner Detector online monitoring

 During the commissioning of the ATLAS detector at CERN important work is to ensure good quality of the data arriving from the collisions. This project will work at combining data from the three innermost tracker detectors. Frequent stays at CERN is needed in particular participation during milestone weeks where all ATLAS detectors are  run as one. Data analysis of the Inner Detector data either from cosmic radiation and/or from first data is will be part of this work.

 2. ATLAS commissioning

 The student will participate in the overall commissioning of one of  the Inner Detectors, the SemiConductor Tracker, which include detector operation, programming for either the Detector Control System or the Data Acquisition System or the Online data analysis system. Also analysis of cosmic ray data will be needed. The student have the opportunity to stay for a longer period at CERN possibly within the technical students program *).

 3. ATLAS data preparation

 The student will contribute to the first analysis of the LHC data from ATLAS, in particular the express stream, the 24 hour quick readout of the data to determine the actuality of the data. This includes analysis of Standard Model signals in the view of including it in the express stream analysis. The student is expected to stay at CERN during the test periods and data preparation periods.

 4. ATLAS validation study of J/psi -> mu+ mu-, Upsilon(1S) -> mu+ mu-

 using the first ATLAS data. A program will be provided that  produces an N-tuple with the necessary information. The task is to generate Monte Carlo samples first and look at dependencies of the efficiency versus transverse momentum, pseudo rapidity and azimuth angle. The student should go to CERN during data taking.

 5. ATLAS validation study of Z -> mu+ mu- using the first ATLAS data.

 A program will be provided that produces an N-tuple with the  necessary information. The task is to generate Monte Carlo samples first and  look at dependencies of the efficiency versus transverse momentum, pseudo rapidity and azimuth angle. The student should go to CERN during data taking.

DETECTOR RESEARCH

( Anna Lipniacka, Bjarne Stugu, Gerald Eigen, Heidi Sandaker)

 6. Research of novel silicon photomultipliers for ILC

 This work will include testing and calibration of a new generation of  silicon photomultipliers, which will be a very good candidate for  linear accelerator experiments. The student will take part in testbeam activity both in the USA and/or at CERN and data-analysis is  a central activity.

 7. Research of 3D sensors for the ATLAS upgrade

 Test and characterisation of 3D silicium-pixel detectors is needed for higher luminosity detectors. Newly built sensors will arrive in January which would need to be characterized. The student is responsible of constructing and setting up a laser measurement system and perform tests of these detectors with this system as part of the characterisation. IV and CV curve measurements are also needed as well as participation in testbeam activities at CERN and the corresponding data analysis.

 8. Construction and test of an electronic readout system for 3D detectors for the ATLAS upgrade

 This work consists of setting up a readout system for the 3D detectors based on the ATLAS pixel detector readout and to study the 3D detectors with this readout. Also participation in testbeam activity at CERN and corresponding data analysis will be needed.

 9. Construction and development of a PET testbench

 This project aim to bridge the gap between particle physics and medical technology.  The student will be setting up a small testbench for medical imaging and to test this with both the photomultipliers and the 3D sensors with various radioactive sources. This work will be made in close collaboration with the PET center at Haukeland University Hostpital.

 10. Development of a cosmic radiation telescope

 The radiation telescope is now in operation. The students work will  include improvement of the trigger through FPGA programming,  development of the DAQ system and study of efficiency.

 THEORY

( Per Osland)
 
 Depending on background (courses) and interests, topics are available in the following areas:

 T1. The main purpose of the LHC is to study the electroweak symmetry breaking: "why/how do particles get mass?"

 Study of an extended Higgs sector, allowing for CP violation,  and investigating whether the Higgs sector could be related to the mysterious dark matter.

 T2. Study properties of various dark-matter candidates,  (both within supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric models),  and whether they can be produced at the LHC.