Advanced Lab Course (Master)
In the summer and winter semester a laboratory practical course as well as a quantum field theory practical course are offered, in which research methods of the institute are presented.
Tasks for a total of at least 4 full working days must be carried out and tasks from the laboratory and QFT practical course may be mixed as desired. In coordination with the supervisor, many of the tasks can be carried out in (multiple) half or full days, as indicated below.
All participants have to contact the tutors at least 1 week before the start of each lab experiment to get the current experiment instructions and to confirm the dates!
Reports should be handed in 2 weeks after the completion of each experiment or theory assignment and no later than 2 weeks after the end of the semester. Otherwise, the lab course will be considered as not successfully completed.
Experimental tasks
- ML - Neural Networks hunting for the Higgs boson (2 half days, or 1 full day)
- PP - analysis of pp collision events (2 half days, or 1 full day)
- FP - Electronic detector readout and digital data processing with FPGA (2 half days)
- SD - Simulation-based digital data processing (1 full day, at HZDR)
- BM - Accelerator mass spectrometry and methods for age determination (1 full day, at HZDR)
- GA - Spectroscopy of gamma rays (1 full day)
- [BK - Analysis of bubble chamber recordings (2 half days, or 1 full day)] -- Replaced by ML in summer 2023
- [PE - Positron Emission Tomography (2 half days, or 1 full day)] -- Not in winter 2025/26
- [WK - Wide angle Compton coincidence calibration (2 half days, or 1 full day)] -- Not in winter 2025/26
QFT tasks -- Not in summer 2026
- [QFT 0: Muon decay and Feynman rules (4 half days).]
- QFT 1: Loop corrections to muon decay in the Standard Model (4 half days)
- QFT 2: Asymptotic freedom in QCD (4 half days)
- QFT 3: Calculation of the Higgs mass in the MSSM (4 half days)
Date: Thursday
Place: ASB E19
Time: 7:30 to 12:40 (half day) or individual arrangement
By arrangement, QFT tasks other than those listed here may be performed. If three QFT tasks are chosen, they can also be counted towards the laboratory practical course "Theoretical Physics". The QFT tasks typically require previous knowledge from the QFT lecture.
Information winter term 2025/26
On Thursday, 23.10.2025, at 9h20, an introduction of the lab experiments and allocation of groups (typically of two students) and lab dates (different weekdays possible) will take place in room ASB E19. Directly after the meeting there will be a briefing on radiation protection for everyone. Both the induction and the briefing are mandatory for participation in this advanced lab course, and it is not possible to join the labs later.
Slides with information and sign-up
Current information summer term 2026
On Thursday, 23.04.2026, at 9h20, an introduction of the lab experiments and allocation of groups (typically of two students) and lab dates (different weekdays possible) will take place in room ASB E19. Directly after the meeting there will be a briefing on radiation protection for everyone. Both the induction and the briefing are mandatory for participation in this advanced lab course, and it is not possible to join the labs later.