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Measurement of ionizing radiation

2024/2025
Programme:
Physics, First Cycle
Orientation:
Physics
Year:
3 year
Semester:
second
Kind:
optional
ECTS:
5
Language:
slovenian
Lecturer (contact person):
Hours per week – 2. semester:
Lectures
2
Seminar
0
Tutorial
2
Lab
0
Prerequisites

Enrollment in year 3.

Passed problem-solving examination is a prerequisite for the theoretical part of the examination.

Content (Syllabus outline)

Accelerator systems. Ion sources, review of accelerators, transport of charged particles.

Radioactivity. Basic notions (activity, decay time, statistics, alpha, beta and gamma radiation, isotopes, radioactive series), sources of radiation (natural and man-made isotopes, cosmic radiation).

Interaction of radiation with matter. Heavy charged particles, light particles, photons, neutrons.

Detectors. Shockley-Ramo theorem, ionization chambers, proportional counters, multi-wire proportional counters, drift chambers, Geiger-Mueller counter, semiconductor detectors, scintillation detectors and photomultipliers.

Particle identification. Detectors of energy loss, time-of-flight, Cerenkov detectors.

Radiation dosimetry. Biological effects of radiation, deterministic and stochastic radiation effects, exposition dose, absorbed dose, equivalent and effective dose.

Application. Activities in Slovenia, visit of our national laboratory (MIC - Institute J. Stefan).

Readings

F. Cvelbar, Merjenje ionizirajočega sevanja, rokopis, 1998.
W.R. Leo, Techniques for Nuclear and Particle Physics Experiments, 2nd ed., Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1994.
Claus Grupen, Particle Detectors, Cambridge University Press, 1996.
G.F. Knoll, Radiation Detection and Measurement, 4th ed., J. Wiley, New York, 2010.

Objectives and competences

The purpose of the subject is to give basic knowledge of physical principles which concern ionizing radiation. It is a prerequisite for further study of experimental nuclear and particle physics and medical diagnostics and therapy.

Intended learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding: The syllabus gives basic understanding on measurement od ionizing radiation and interpretation of collected data.
Application: Education covered by this subject is a necessity for everyone working in laboratories dealing with any kind of radioactive sources.
Reflection: Expert in measurement science applies the bottom-up approach to tackle a specific problem. This is by far the best approach to demanding technical challenges.
Transferable skills: Skillful handling of complex data can be rewarding in many areas outside nuclear and particle physics.

Learning and teaching methods

Lectures, tutorials, homework and consultations.

Assessment

2 written tests (mid-term and end-term) applied towards the problem-solving examination, problem-solving examination
Theoretical examination
grading: 5 (fail), 6-10 (pass) (according to the Statute of UL)

Lecturer's references
  1. Belle Collaboration: ŠANTELJ, Luka, BRAČKO, Marko, GOLOB, Boštjan, KORPAR, Samo, KRIŽAN, Peter, NANUT, Tara, PESTOTNIK, Rok, PETRIČ, Marko, RIBEŽL, Eva, STARIČ, Marko, ZUPANC, Anže, et al., Belle Collaboration. Measurement of time-dependent CP violation in B 0 → η ′ K0 decays. The journal of high energy physics, ISSN 1029-8479, 2014, vol. 2014, str. 165-1-165-20, doi: 10.1007/JHEP10(2014)165
  2. ŠANTELJ, Luka, DOLENEC, Rok, KORPAR, Samo, KRIŽAN, Peter, MRVAR, Manca, PESTOTNIK, Rok, et al. Recent developments insoftware for the Belle II aerogel RICH. Nuclear instruments and methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment, ISSN 0168-9002. [Print ed.], 2017, vol. 876, str. 104-107, doi: 10.1016/j.nima.2017.02.017
  3. HIROSE, S., BISWAL, Jyoti Prakash, BRAČKO, Marko, GOLOB, Boštjan, KORPAR, Samo, KRIŽAN, Peter, LUBEJ, Matic, NANUT, Tara, PESTOTNIK, Rok, STARIČ, Marko, ŠANTELJ, Luka, ZUPANC, Anže, et al., Belle Collaboration. Measurement of the τ lepton polarization and R(D ∗ ) in the decay B̄ → D ∗ τ − ν τ . Physical review letters, ISSN 0031-9007. [Print ed.], 2017, vol. 118, no. 21, str. 211801-1-211801-7, doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.211801