Category: group activities
Spinlab Slow Controls Database
Monitoring the environment in the lab and the status of various parameters in our experiments is key to understanding how changes in these parameters affect the experiments. To accomplish this, a database and software system was designed and built to monitor these slow control parameters in the lab. A data model was implemented as a ...
Laser Scanning of Yb Atomic Beam Fluorescence
The Single Atom Microscope team, led by Kristen and Roy, is taking large steps towards a proper calibration of Yb atom number density in solid Neon. Most recently, the atomic beam fluorescence measurements have incorporated laser frequency scanning. At a stable atomic oven temperature, these measurements are used to determine the Yb atomic beam flux ...
Welcome REU Students Andy and Courtney!
Andy Sanchez (hat and backpack) is joining us from the University of Connecticut and will be working on Project 2. Courtney Nelson (blue dress) is joining us from Occidental College and will be working on Project 1. Project 1: Single Atom Microscope for Nuclear Astrophysics We are developing and commissioning a single atom microscope for measuring ...
Bake of the Ne Gas Handling System
This week, we completed a setup for a vacuum bake. Vacuum bakes are used to remove tiny impurities (specifically water) from a vacuum system. This is done by heating the vacuum components, which makes any water bound to the walls of the stainless steel detach at a faster rate. In this process we use heating tapes rated for conductive ...
Farewell Jennifer & Martin!
Jennifer Wenzl and her husband Martin Eibach (a postdoc with the Ion Trapping/Mass Measurements Group) are leaving the NSCL to go back to Germany. Jennifer received her Ph.D. in December of 2013 from the Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz in the field of Soft Condensed Matter Physics. She joined Spinlab in September of 2015 as a Postdoctoral Research ...
High Pressure Rinse of High Voltage Electrodes
This weekly win is about removing sub micron-sized particulates in the air we breathe from the Ra EDM electrodes, whose electrical performance can be degraded by the presence of these particulates, with a process called the high pressure rinse. The high pressure rinse is a critical step in decontaminating electrodes that we’ve adopted from accelerator science, where it’s been shown that ...
Jake and Kristen Graduate!
Two Spinlab undergrads graduated over the weekend. Jake Huneau graduated with a B.S. in Physics from the Lyman-Briggs College and Kristen Parzuchowski graduates with a B.S. in Physics from the Honors College. Jake joined the group in the Fall 2014 when Spinlab was just an empty room. He made two trips to Munich to work ...
Upgrades to the Noble Gas Purification
In recent weeks, the SAM team has made a few upgrades to the Ne gas handling setup. For single atom detection, it is essential that other fluorescence sources are minimized as much as possible. Impurities in the neon film where the Yb and Mg atoms get embedded could act as fluorescent background sources. In addition, ...
Surprise, Surprise!
We use several compressed gas bottles in Spinlab. Each of these bottles is secured to a wall when in use and transported on a tiltable cart with four wheels. Of course, when the bottles are being transported, we make sure that the gas bottle cap is securely screwed onto the top, because we don’t want ...
Evan wins First Place in the UURAF Poster Competition!
Being able to take part in UURAF was a great opportunity to learn how to present research in a professional environment. Probably the most useful part for me was the preparation of the poster. Having never made a scientific poster before, Jennifer was very helpful in giving me advice. By the time I presented my ...
SPINLAB @ MSU 
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