NEWS

Announcement

2023.4.6


QUP Internship Program (QUPIP)

The International Center for Quantum-field Measurement Systems for Studies of the Universe and Particles (QUP) invites applications for young researchers (post-doctoral fellows and graduate students) to stay and work with QUP researchers. QUP is developing a new measurement system using existing quantum fields to explore unknown quantum fields under "Bringing New Eyes to Humanity."


The requirements are listed below.
  ■Target Researchers: Non-QUP Graduate students or post-doctoral fellows, from any countries
  ■Number of researchers: about 15
  ■Place: KEK Tsukuba campus, a QUP satellite institution (UC Berkeley),
     or QUP PI's home institutions (Oxford University, LBNL)
  ■Duration: 1 to 3 months after July 1, 2023 (with possible extension)
  ■Research: Research to be carried out by QUP PIs and Senior Research Scientists.
  Specifically, the following types of research are available.
  ■Support: Travel and accommodation expenses (subject to KEK's travel expenses regulations)
  ■Application deadline: We are currently accepting applications. The deadline for the first round of
  applications is May 15th, 2023. Although we will continue to review applications received after
  this date, acceptance will depend on whether there are any available positions in the program.
  Please note that there are limited spots available, and we encourage you to submit your
  application before the deadline to increase your chances of being considered.
  ■Application Documents (in English)
   ・Curriculum Vitae
   ・List of publications
   ・A one-page research plan for your proposed work at QUP, which should include the names of
    QUP researchers you intend to collaborate with and the duration of your stay.
   ・A Letter of reference, preferably from the current supervisor
   ・Documents to be submitted to:QUP_EP_application@ml.post.kek.jp



List of research subjects of QUP researchers in the program in 2023 and their research plan for the young researchers:

Hiroki Akamatsu (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
Development of the focal plane unit (FPU) of Low-Frequency Telescope (LFT) onboards LiteBIRD satellite. The projects span from characterization and development of a cryogenic instrument (TES bolometers), cryogenic harness, temperature controlling system. Interested in candidates with skills in low noise electronics, superconducting devices.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Testing and evaluation of TESs and associated readout technology
  ■Testing and evaluation of cryogenic harness together with SQUIDs
  ■Testing and evaluating of high-precision temperature controller
     


Daniela Bortoletto (Research Location: University of Oxford, UK)
The Oxford group has a leading role in both detector and physics activities in the ATLAS experiment. I am focusing on studies of the Higgs boson and developing and constructing pixel detectors using superb facilities offered by the Oxford Physics Microstructure Detector (OPMD) laboratory.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Developments of advanced machine-learning algorithms for tagging heavy flavour jets
  ■Studies of the Higgs boson and di-Higgs production with LHC-ATLAS data
  ■R&D on ultra-fast silicon detector and monolithic pixels
  ■Module development and testing for ATLAS ITk
     


Yuji Chinone (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
Data analysis of ground-based and satellite Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) experiments for searching Axion-like particle (ALP) and physics beyond the Standard Model as well as Primordial Gravitational Waves (PGWs). Development and application of new analysis techniques, including machine learning (ML), for CMB experiments. Interested in candidates who will take a leading role in the POLARBEAR/Simons Array/Simons Observatory data analysis and the LiteBIRD development. Expertise in any data analysis and/or ML techniques is an advantage.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Time-domain astronomy with the POLARBEAR datasets.
  ■ALP search with the POLARBEAR/Simons Array datasets.
  ■Development and application of new data selection techniques with ML for
  the POLARBEAR/Simons Array datasets.
  ■Development of analysis pipeline of Simons Observatory for the PGW search.
  ■Development of possible science case with LiteBIRD.
     


Tijmen de Haan (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
CMB data analysis and hardware. On the hardware side, I'm working on getting a system of LiteBIRD-like transition edge sensors (TES) to perform optimally under digital frequency multiplexing. There are lots of exciting open questions in need of further study. On the CMB data analysis side, I am working on several open questions regarding the science requirements of LiteBIRD. There is a need for end-to-end simulations that will inform how we build the satellite.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Analytical and numerical modeling of TES multiplexing module
  ■Numerical simulation of TES operating with calibration sideband
  ■Sunyaev-Zel'dovich search in existing CMB data
  ■Realistic simulations of LiteBIRD CMB measurements
     


Maurice Garcia-Sciveres (Research Locations: KEK, Japan, and LBNL, USA)
(1) Development of quantum sensor systems for low mass particle dark matter detection, aimed
at carrying out searches for low mass DM particles at the Kamioka mine. Interested in candidates with skills in cryogenics, low noise electronics, superconducting devices, dark matter search experiments.
(2) Development of next-generation hybrid pixel readout chips. Interested in candidates with skills
in ASIC design or testing, picosecond timing applications, pixel tracker operation, and simulation.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■GEANT Simulation of backgrounds for low mass dark matter searches
  ■Testing of prototypes in a dilution refrigerator (measure superconducting transition temperature
  of films, parasitic power contributions, etc.
  ■Testing of prototype integrated circuits. Measurements on things like timing jitter at the 10ps level
  ■Standalone C++ or python simulation of data flow and data compression in an chip with fast
  timing information
     


Masaya Hasegawa (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
Development of key technologies for low-noise and large format superconducting detector arrays in future CMB missions. Interested in candidates with skills in cryogenics, control engineering, quantum sensor, large-scale data processing, characterization of CMB telescope.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Testing of LiteBIRD prototype detector (including operation of dilution refrigerator)
  ■Evaluation of optical property of LiteBIRD LFT scale model and related items.
  ■Demonstration of active vibration isolation for refrigerator
     


Kaori Hattori (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
Development of superconducting single-photon detectors (optical transition-edge sensors) for new dark matter search experiments. Interested in candidates with experiences in the development of detectors and skills in cryogenics, detector fabrication, array readout, optics.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Testing and evaluation of TESs and associated readouts.
  ■Single-photon detection.
     


Satoshi Iso (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
Theoretical Studies of particle physics and cosmology based on quantum field theories. The subjects also include relativistic quantum measurement theory, quantum entanglement and decoherence in open quantum systems.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Interested in candidates with sufficient skills in quantum field theories and interests in
  interdisciplinary research on particle physics, cosmology, condensed matter physics,
  and quantum information theory.
     


Adrian Lee (Research Location: UC Berkeley, USA)
Development of the detector system for the LiteBIRD CMB polarization space mission. The detector system consists of monolithic silicon arrays with TES bolometers and SQUID-based readout multiplexers. The focal planes are coupled to the telescopes with horns or lenslet-coupled antennas.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Students can be hosted at the Berkeley Satellite of QUP. At the Berkeley satellite, students
  can become involved in CMB detector array and readout multiplexer design and testing.
  The Berkeley satellite is developing technologies toward implementation in space in the
  LiteBIRD space mission.      


Tsutomu Mibe (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba and J-PARC, Japan)
Experimental studies on particle physics with accelerator and precision measurements. The research subjects include applications of quantum sensors to the accelerator-based research.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Development of high-sensitivity beam profile monitors
  ■Development of high-precision magnetic field monitors
  ■Development of high-sensitivity electric field monitors
     


Masaya Miyahara (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
Development of an analog/digital-mixed signal ASIC using high-speed ADCs for various physics experiments. Seeking candidates who are interested in reconfigurable analog ASICs or design automation techniques for analog circuits.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Design of small-scale DAQ system using reconfigurable ASICs for particle detectors.
  ■An ASIC design for particle detectors using automated analog circuit design environment.
     


Yu Nakahama (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
Developments of cutting-edge machine-learning tools and their applications to the particle-physics analyses of the LHC-ATLAS data and detector-system developments.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■The application of machine-learning tools to the physics analyses, such as the studies of
  the Higgs boson properties and searches for new physics phenomena long-lived particles and
  model-independent new-phenomena.
  ■The application of machine-learning based algorithms in mass production and testing of
  the pixel detector modules for the LHC-ATLAS upgrade.
  ■The commissioning of new online selections for Higgs-boson pair production events using
  the LHC collision data.
  ■The development of machine-learning based algorithms and their implementation in
  accelerators such as FPGA and GPU.      


Kazunori Nakayama (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
I am working on theoretical particle physics and cosmology with topics including inflation, dark matter, axion, and new particle search. Seeking candidates interested in interdisciplinary research fields, including particle physics and condensed matter physics, and their applications to new ideas for detecting light dark matter or other new particles.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Early universe physics and dark matter
  ■New idea and simulation for dark matter detection
  ■Calculation of Casimir force      


Suerfu (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
I am working on developing novel detectors for dark matter and neutrinos. Currently there are three research areas: 1) developing and testing cryogenic detectors with a dilution refrigerator, 2) purification and growth of ultra-high purity NaI(Tl) scintillator detectors, 3) simulation and testing of detector prototypes of neutrino detectors.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Testing cryogenic bolometers in a dilution refrigerator
  ■Measuring mechanical, electrical and optical properties of scintillating crystals at low temperatures
  for developing high-performance cryogenic scintillators
  ■Developing assaying techniques for alpha spectroscopy for ultra-low levels
  ■Chemical purification methods for raw materials for dark matter detectors
  ■Geant4 simulation of dark matter and neutrino detectors
     


Volodymyr Takhistov (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
Research at the intersection of theoretical particle physics, astro-particle physics/astrophysics, and cosmology. Topics ranging from dark matter, neutrinos, and experiments for probing fundamental physics to gravitational waves and black holes. Preferred candidates would be interested in interdisciplinary research, developing new theoretical ideas as well as connecting them with observations. Projects focusing on data analysis and simulations are also possible.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Dark matter detection (direct and indirect), production
  ■Formation and signatures of primordial black holes
  ■Experimental signatures of physics beyond the Standard Model, especially in neutrino experiments
  ■Neutrinos (including sterile neutrinos) in laboratories, astrophysics and cosmology
  ■Gravitational wave sources (cosmology, astrophysics) and their detection
  ■Fundamental physics with cosmic ray interactions and astrophysical transients
  ■Fundamental physics with precision instruments, table-top, and space-based experiments
  ■Signatures and production of axions and other new particles, including exotics (e.g. monopoles)      


Nanae Taniguchi (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
Development of new radiation-hard devices with high rate tolerance, including new FPGAs with atomic switch technology, and applications to high-energy physics experiments. We seek candidates interested in R&D on detector readout electronics with the new FPGA and the development of system tools for users.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■Development of firmware for readout slow monitor using atom-switch FPGA
  ■Evaluation of readout board for readout slow monitor using atom-switch FPGA
  ■Systematic study of prototype of new readout electronics used for Belle II CDC
     


Manabu Togawa (Research Location: KEK Tsukuba, Japan)
Development of a super radiation-hard semiconductor detector for the high-energy and/or high-intensity beam experiment. We seek candidates interested in semiconductor detectors with non-silicon material (CIGS, GaN for example) and novel technologies for detector integration.

 Example study subjects for the young researchers
  ■GEANT simulation study for charge output from semiconductor detectors.
  ■Evaluation of semiconductor detectors with alpha source in a vacuum environment.
     

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