Studies with a TPC and development of a procedure to measure ion feedback
Dan Peterson, mentor

As part of the development of a detector for the International Linear Collider, 
physicists from Cornell and Purdue are investigating properties of advanced 
readout devices for a charged particle detection device called a Time Projection 
Chamber (TPC). During the summer of 2006, we will be measuring the spatial 
resolution of various readout options using cosmic rays detected in a test 
chamber located at Cornell. We also plan to develop a means for detecting 
and comparing the rate of (undesirable) ion feedback, the migration of positive 
charge back into the detector volume. Data is collected using a sophisticated 
multi-channel sampling analog-to-digital-converter data acquisition system. 
The summer student will participate in data-taking, monitoring the data quality 
and analyzing and interpreting data. Much of the studentŐs activity will be 
creating an analysis package in C++. The student should have the ability to 
write programs in C++ and have completed an undergraduate course in electrostatics.