Physics: Posters

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A Measurement of the Muon Magnetic Moment Using Cosmic Rays
(Houghton College, 2001-11-03) Ely, David Richard; Kroening, Daniel Atkinson; Yuly, Mark
The muon magnetic moment is being measured via the decay of polarized cosmic-ray muons in a 44 G magnetic field. One, thick, 102.0 x 20.6 x 5.4 cm plastic scintillator detector was placed between two, 101.5 x 20.6 x 1.6 cm detectors in the uniform magnetic field produced by a solenoid. A veto-scintillator eliminated events from regions of non-uniform magnetic field. The time difference between when the muon stopped in the center detector and the detection of the decay positron was recorded for several thousand events. The decay positron is emitted along the direction of the precessing muon spin axis.
Rochester Academy of Science, 28th Annual Paper Session, Nazareth College, Rochester NY. November 3, 2001.
Measurement of the Half-Life of Orthopositronium
(Houghton College, 2004-05-01) Winter, Blake; Yuly, Mark
Until recently, measurements of the orthopositronium decay rate disagreed with the value predicted by quantum electrodynamics. This poster describes a novel attempt to measure this decay rate. Positrons from the decay of 22Na were slowed in a vacuum chamber containing a sample of aerogel. The release of a positron by the 22Na source was signaled by the detection of a 1.27 MeV gamma ray by a plastic scintillation detector. Orthopositronium typically decays into three gamma rays, which were detected by three NaI detectors. By detecting the annihilation gamma rays in coincidence and using energy information from the events, systematic effects due to contamination by parapositronium decay, which plagued previous measurements, may be reduced. Preliminary analysis of data taken over 200 hours has yielded a value for the decay rate of 7.83±0.5 μs-1. Currently, problems with Compton scattering are preventing the use of the energy information in analysis.
31st Annual Scientific Paper Session of the Rochester Academy of Science, Rochester, NY. Nov. 6, 2004
Using the (n,2p) Reaction to Search for a Preexisting Nuclear Δ++ Component
(Houghton College, 2007-04-21) Runyon, Kirby; De Young, Jeff; De Young, Rachel; Wallace, Steve; Yuly, Mark
The 3He(n,2p)2n and the 4He(n,2p)3n cross-sections are being measured as a means to explore the Δ++ contribution to the nuclear wave function. The incident neutron beam ranged between 200 and 500 MeV. Scattered protons passed through magnetic spectrometers centered 45º to the right and left of the beam line. Each spectrometer consisted of a thin ΔE scintillator, a drift chamber, a permanent bending magnet, a drift chamber, and a detection barrier of three stacked scintillators.
XXVI Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY., April 21, 2007.
Design and Construction of a Variable Temperature Atomic Force Microscope
(Houghton College, 2007-04-21) Little, Bethany; Hoffman, Brandon
A variable temperature atomic force microscope is being constructed at Houghton College. The microscope will operate in a rough vacuum and will utilize spring vibration isolation and eddy current damping to minimize mechanical vibration. A modified "Johnny Walker" beetle is being constructed for the rough approach. The sample will be mounted onto the walker scanning head and scanned across a fixed cantilever tip and laser assembly. When completed, resolution should be on the order of nanometers. Liquid nitrogen and resistive heating will allow operation from ~100 K to 500 K.
XXVI Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY., April 21, 2007.
Design and Construction of a Deposition Chamber for Thin Metal Films Research
(Houghton College, 2008-04-05) Aikens, Kurt; Hoffman, Brandon
A high vacuum deposition chamber is being built at Houghton College for studies of thin metal films. Metal atoms evaporated via an electron beam will contact a silicon wafer at near normal incidence, growing a uniform thin film. An ion mill will be constructed for cleaning the silicon wafers and for ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD). A computer-controlled shield will enable deposition of samples of varying thickness.
XXVII Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY., April 5, 2008.
The Houghton College Cyclotron: Results, Modifications
(Houghton College, 2008-04-05) Haas, Daniel; Loucks, Andrew; Yuly, Mark
The Houghton College Cyclotron consists of a 17 cm inner diameter, 2.8 cm thick evacuated aluminum chamber containing a “dee” shaped electrode and a grounded “dummy dee” placed between the poles of a 1.1 T electromagnet. Low pressure gas is introduced into the chamber where a filament, through electron collisions, ionizes the gas. The ions are accelerated in a spiral path by a constant magnetic and an alternating RF electric field. It is expected that the accelerated ions will reach energies of 280 keV, 140 keV, and 70 keV for protons, deuterons, and helium respectively, and may be used in small-scale nuclear experiments. The cyclotron successfully accelerated protons on one occasion, but after an hour of operation a discharge occurred which destroyed the filament and the surrounding insulation, and a leak in the vacuum chamber developed. To solve this problem, a new larger chamber was designed and is under construction.
XXVII Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY., April 5, 2008.
Three-nucleon Force Effects in Neutron-induced Deuteron Breakup
(Houghton College, 2008-08-11) Haas, Daniel; Thomson, Stephen; Yuly, Mark
The differential cross section for the neutron-induced deuteron breakup reaction was measured at the LANSCE/WNR facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory during the summer of 2007. It has been suggested theoretically that the differential cross section for neutron-deuteron scattering may be sensitive to three-nucleon effects for scattering of protons and neutrons in coincidence at small forward angles on the same side of the incident neutron beam. In this experiment, a permanent magnet spectrometer was located at a small forward angle to detect protons and a ‘wall’ of plastic scintillator neutron detectors was located beyond this spectrometer. The data collected are currently being analyzed.
LANSCE TA-53 Student Poster Session, Accelerator Operations, Technology Office, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM., August 11, 2008.
The (n,2p) Reaction as a Probe for the Pre Pre-existing Nuclear Δ++ Component
(Houghton College, 2008-08-11) Haas, Daniel; Little, Bethany; Thomson, Stephen; Wallace, Steven; Matthews, June; Yuly, Mark
The 3He(n,2p)2n and 4He(n,2p)3n cross-sections are being measured as a means to explore the Δ++ component of the nuclear wave function. The incident neutron beam ranges between 250 and 800 MeV. Scattered protons on beam right pass through magnetic spectrometers which measure the momentum of the proton. The spectrometer consists of a thin ΔE scintillator, two drift chambers, two permanent magnets and finally two thin scintillators. On beam left, a horizontal ΔE scintillator array in front of a vertical proton scintillator array also detects scattered protons.
LANSCE TA-53 Student Poster Session, Accelerator Operations, Technology Office, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM., August 11, 2008.
Design, Construction of a Small Electron Accelerator
(Houghton College, 2009-04-04) Thomson, Stephen; Lloyd, Phillip; Yuly, Mark
The Houghton College electrostatic electron accelerator uses a small Van de Graaff generator and an accelerator column made from alternating high-density polyethylene and aluminum rings to create a uniform electric field. The accelerator column is evacuated to about 10-6 torr by a rotary forepump and a diffusion pump. To produce the electrons, an electron gun made from a 3RP1 CRT is located inside the high voltage terminal. The electrodes of the electron gun require user-controlled voltages for the anode, focus and intensity grids. Since the gun is located in the HV terminal, a microcontroller/amplifier circuit was designed to produce the required voltages and communicate with the user via a non-conducting, fiber optic RS232 link. The remote control system has been tested on the electron gun attached to the vacuum system.
XXVIII Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, US Military Academy at West Point, West Point, NY, April 4, 2009.
Quasielastic Neutron-Induced Deuteron Breakup
(Houghton College, 2009-08-10) Koehler, Katrina; Kroening, Peter; Slye, Jonathan; Turkewitz, Jared; Uemura, Sho; Matthews, June; Yuly, Mark
At the Weapons Neutron Research Facility part of the Los Alamos National Lab in Los Alamos, NM, the quasielastic scattering experiment was performed on flight path 15R in the summer of 2009. The cross-section for this experiment is being measured at intermediate incident neutron energies, ranging up to 800 MeV. Scattered protons from deuteron breakup travel through a magnetic spectrometer on beam right, consisting of a thin ?E scintillator, three drift chambers, two permanent magnets, and two thin scintillators. An array of nine two-meter high plastic scintillators detect scattered neutrons on beam left.
2010 Annual Meeting of the Division of Nuclear Physics, American Physical Society, Santa Fe, NM, November 2-6, 2010; XXIX Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY., April 17, 2010; LANSCE TA-53 Student Poster Session, Accelerator Operations, Technology Office, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM., August 10, 2009; Homecoming Student Research Poster Contest, Oct. 8, 2011.
The Design and Construction of an Interferometer for the measurement of Strain in Thin Metal Films
(Houghton College, 2010-04-17) Silvernail, Adam; Hoffman, Brandon
An interferometer is being constructed at Houghton College which will be used to measure the pattern of interference created by the superposition of light waves incident on a thin metal film and a reference mirror. A uniform wavelength 4” collimated beam of light will illuminate an entire sample and the interference pattern will be captured by a CCD. The position of the reference mirror will oscillate via piezo-electric ceramic. Each pixel will be processed individually to produce a topographical image of the sample surface. The resulting superposition data can be used to calculate the curvature of the thin film and from that the stress of the film in real time.
XXIX Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY., April 17, 2010.
Deuteron Formation for Big Bang Nucleosynthesis Models
(Houghton College, 2010-07-27) Koehler, Katrina; French, Jennifer; Daub, Brian; Henzl, Vlad; Kovash, Mike; Matthews, June; Wender, Steve; Yuly, Mark
A measurement of the H(n, dγ) cross section at low energy is being performed on flight path 15R from Target 4 at WNR with incident neutron energies between 100 keVand 1 MeV. This deuteron formation experiment is key to improving calculations of the baryon density in Big Bang Nucleosynthesismodels. The deuterons are created and detected in a plastic scintillatoractive target. Gamma rays released by the neutron-proton capture reaction are detected in a BrilLanCedetector. Scattered neutrons from n-p elastic scattering detected in two neutron detectors are used for calibrating the active target ADC spectrum.
XXX Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY., April 9, 2011; LANSCE NS Student Poster Session, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM., July 27, 2010. Symposium 2010 “Championing Scientific Careers,” University of New Mexico-Los Alamos, August 3, 4, 2010.
The NIFFTE TPC Gas Handling System
(Houghton College, 2010-07-27) Duke, Dana; Fuller, Nicholas
The Neutron Induced Fission Fragment Tracking Experiment (NIFFTE) uses time projection chamber (TPC) to determine the fission cross section of actinides. Although the cross section has been previously measured using various methods, the uncertainty can be reduced to sub 1% using a TPC.
XXX Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY., April 9, 2011; LANSCE NS Student Poster Session, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM., July 27, 2010. Symposium 2010 “Championing Scientific Careers,” University of New Mexico-Los Alamos, August 3, 4, 2010; 4th Place, Homecoming Student Research Poster Contest, Oct. 8, 2011.
Testing of 6Li Glass Scintillator for Detection of Fission Neutrons Below 1 MeV
(Houghton College, 2010-07-27) Silvernail, Adam; C. Haight, Robert; Yuly, Mark
6Li glass scintillator detectors are being tested and integrated into the Chi-Nu apparatus at LANSCE/WNR. Chi-Nu is an array of neutron detectors used for detecting neutrons in neutron-induced fission experiments. 6Li glass scintillators have better detection efficiency in the neutron-energy range below 1MeV than currently used EJ301 liquid scintillators. Various reflectors are being tested to determine which optimizes the performance by increasing detected scintillation light. Increasing the thickness of the scintillator is also being studied to optimize detection efficiency at 1MeV. Calibrations using several sources verify the expected detection peak at 4.8MeV.
LANSCE NS Student Poster Session, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM., July 27, 2010. Symposium 2010 “Championing Scientific Careers,” University of New Mexico-Los Alamos, August 3, 4, 2010.
Simulating Coulomb Interacting Dark Matter
(Houghton College, 2011-10-08) Lauer, Colin; Wells, Christopher
While Dark Matter (DM) is known to be the dominant form of matter in the universe through its gravitational effects on visible matter, the microscopic properties of DM are unknown. Astronomical observations and direct detection experiments suggest that DM may have selfinteractions. We propose a numerical simulation of the cosmological formation of DM halos under the influence of Newtonian gravity and Coulomb-like self-interactions.
XXXI Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, Siena College, Loudonville, NY, April 14, 2012; 1st Place, Homecoming Student Research Poster Contest, Oct. 8, 2011.
The Design and Construction of a Deposition Chamber, Laser Interferometer for the Study of Thin Metal Films
(Houghton College, 2011-10-08) Reynolds, Tyler; Mertzlufft, Joshua; Hoffman, Brandon
A deposition chamber and a laser interferometer are currently under development at Houghton College. The deposition chamber produces and heats thin metal films under high vacuum. In order to measure curvature of the films as they are heated, the laser interferometer generates a topographical map of each film using a three-inch collimated beam of light and several optics components. The chamber and interferometer work in conjunction with one another, allowing for the films to be measured without breaking vacuum. Using the relationship between curvature and temperature, the stresses of the films can be calculated.
XXX Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY., April 9, 2011; Homecoming Student Research Poster Contest, Oct. 8, 2011.
A possible 12C(n,2n)11C total cross section measurement
(Houghton College, 2011-11-14) Evans, Andrew; Mann, Keith; Yuly, Mark
Tertiary neutron production can be used as an indicator of the burn fraction of a deuterium-tritium pellet in inertial confinement fusion reactions. One way to monitor tertiary neutrons is by carbon activation using the 12C(n,2n)11C reaction, which has a threshold of 20.3 MeV and so is insensitive to primary neutrons produced in the DT reaction. However, the cross section for this reaction is not well known. Several different experimental techniques for measuring 12C(n,2n) have been examined, with an activation experiment being the most feasible.
XXXI Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, Siena College, Loudonville, NY, April 14, 2012; 53rd Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 14-18, 2011.
Characterizing the Houghton College Cyclotron
(Houghton College, 2012-04-14) Fuller, Nicholas; Yuly, Mark
The Houghton College Cyclotron consists of a 17 cm inner diameter evacuated aluminum chamber containing a “dee” shaped electrode and a grounded “dummy dee” placed between the poles of a 1.2 T electromagnet. Low pressure gas is introduced into the chamber where a filament, through electron collisions, ionizes the gas. The ions are accelerated in a spiral path by an alternating RF electric field in the constant magnetic field. It is expected that the accelerated ions will reach maximum energies of 400 keV, 200 keV, and 100 keV for protons, deuterons, and helium respectively. The cyclotron has successfully accelerated protons and helium ions. Currently, the performance of the cyclotron is being optimized for future small-scale nuclear experiments.
XXXI Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, Siena College, Loudonville, NY, April 14, 2012.
Design and Construction of a Variable Temperature Atomic Force Microscope
(Houghton College, 2012-04-14) Ocock, Emilie; Hoffman, Brandon
A variable temperature atomic force microscope (AFM) is being built at Houghton. The AFM will use a spring vibration isolation system with eddy current dampening in order to remove mechanical vibrations from both the machine and external sources. To approach and scan a sample, a modified “Johnny Walker” beetle will be built to move up, down, and across a ramp. Liquid nitrogen and resistive heating will be used to create a range of ~100K – 500K to measure in and increase the temperature range of the AFM.
XXXI Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, Siena College, Loudonville, NY, April 14, 2012.
The Refurbishment of a STEM
(Houghton College, 2012-04-14) Spencer, Mark; Hoffman, Brandon
Houghton College is refurbishing a Jeol JEM CX-100 Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) for the study of thin metal films. The STEM is capable of SEM, TEM, XRD, electron diffraction, and backscattered electron microscopy, up to 800,000X magnification. A computer program will be developed to read the x and y raster and create and manipulate digital images. To date, most of the work has been invested in restoring the vacuum system and aligning the electron beam.
XXXI Annual Rochester Symposium for Physics Students, Siena College, Loudonville, NY, April 14, 2012.

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