PhD student positions
PhD thesis within the g-factor experiment in Mainz, Germany
The aim of the experiment is the ultraprecise measurement of the gyromagnetic
factor (g-factor) of the electron bound to highly-charged medium-weight
ions like silicon and calcium, in order to test the quantum electrodynamics of bound
systems (BS-QED). Furthermore these measurements allow for the precise determination of
fundamental constants for example the fine structure constant α
and the electron mass.
In order to determine the g-factor, the Larmor frequency and the free cyclotron frequency of the ion have to be measured in a Penning trap. The measurement is performed in a system consisting of three Penning traps under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) and cryogenic temperatures.
The setup of the experiment is already completed and it could be shown that all needed techniques (ion production, measurement of eigenfrequencies, induction and detection of a spin flip) for the g-factor measurement are available and work. Thus the measurement of the first highprecise g-factor (δg/g<=10-10) of - in this case - hydrogen-like silicon will be performed soon. We are looking for a new PhD student who will continue and develop the measurements in the future as well as contribute and implement own ideas to improve the experiment.
Techniques:
- production and storage of highly-charged ions
- spectroscopy of single ions in a Penning trap
- non-destructive detection methods of ion motion in the trap
- quantum state conserving measurements
- UHV and low-temperature physics
- labview programming
- data analysis