Bulletin of the American Physical Society
Joint Spring 2014 Meeting of the Texas Sections of the APS, AAPT, and Zone 13 of the SPS
Volume 59, Number 2
Thursday–Saturday, March 20–22, 2014; Abilene, Texas
Session S2: SPS and Physics Education |
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Chair: Tim Head, Abiliene Christian University Room: Hunter Welcome Center AT&T |
Saturday, March 22, 2014 10:40AM - 10:52AM |
S2.00001: Different Approaches to Measuring Ultra Thin Film Layers of an Organic Light Emitting Diode Zachary Williams In this presentation, I will show the different approaches that were taken in order to measure the varying thicknesses of the layers that comprise an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED). These approaches made use of an STM, an SEM, and a TEM, in order to measure thicknesses of ultra thin layers (less than 100 nanometers). The results have shown that the TEM is the best option to accurately and efficiently measure the varying layers of our OLEDs. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, March 22, 2014 10:52AM - 11:04AM |
S2.00002: Simulations of the ATLAS Forward Proton Detector Timothy Hoffman, Andrew Brandt Our research group is leading the effort to develop a precise time of flight (TOF) detector. This device is part of the proposed ATLAS Forward Proton detector that is planned to be added to the main ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, Switzerland in 2015. Due to logistical issues at ATLAS, the original detector design needed to be compacted. However, this new design must perform at least as well as the original. Protons that pass through our detector emit Cherenkov radiation which our detector uses to mark the TOF of that proton via a photomultiplier tube (PMT). The time resolution has a significant dependence on the time spread of the photons seen by the PMT. We can improve the shape of the light pulse (and therefore the resolution of the detector) through the use of optics. I present results on GEANT4 simulations of variations of the detector layout and show how this can improve our time resolution and result in an optimized final design of the detector. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, March 22, 2014 11:04AM - 11:16AM |
S2.00003: Study of the Forward Spin Trigger at PHENIX Marshall Towell The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory studies polarized proton-proton collisions to better understand the spin structure of the proton. While RHIC is operating there are millions of collisions each second, but the PHENIX data acquisition system, can only record a few thousand each second. To help select the rare events of interest, a new forward trigger has been commissioned that includes four stations of Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs). During the most recent RHIC run significant polarized proton-proton data were recorded with the new trigger for the first time. The RPC high voltage was recorded and studied for each module and each run. Every PHYSICS run was also classified into four different categories depending on the high voltage variance, the number of trips, and the number of mismatches in each run. The runs were classified into 4 different categories; good runs, bad runs, okay runs, and polarization runs. A run was considered good if it had no trips and no mismatches. The results of this systematic study will be presented. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, March 22, 2014 11:16AM - 11:28AM |
S2.00004: Proton Spin RPC Characteristics at PHENIX Ryan Pinson At Brookhaven National Laboratory the PHENIX experiment on the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) studies polarized proton-proton collisions in an effort to better understand the spin structure of the proton. This is achieved by looking at the single-spin asymmetry of the W bosons created in polarized p$+$p interaction. To enable PHENIX to detect rare collisions, multiple Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) were integrated into both the north and the south muon arms of the spectrometer and utilized as part of the trigger. The RPCs were a critical component of the W trigger due to their excellent timing resolution. A systematic study of the RPC high voltage status, trigger rates, and efficiencies was completed on a run-by-run basis. While completing this initial analysis, changes in RPC performance were correlated with changes in detector conditions. The data and patterns of the RPC characteristics will be the focus of this presentation. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, March 22, 2014 11:28AM - 11:40AM |
S2.00005: The transformation of a low producing program into a very dynamic and successful Physics program Cristian Bahrim, Peggy Doerschuk We will present the evolution of the Physics program at Lamar University during the last five years, and the benefits of receiving NSF funds for sponsoring our majors in research and outreach. Our experience as participants in an interdisciplinary NSF-sponsored program, called STAIRSTEP, which also includes computer science, mathematics, chemistry, and geology, and the results obtained since its inception in 2009 will be reported. Physics at Lamar was identified as a low-producing program by the THECB standards, and was in danger of being closed in 2011 and 2013. The infusion of engaging materials in foundational physics courses, including peer mentoring with our STAIRSTEP students in laboratory, led to the induction and retention of many UG students in our program. Our teaching approach, including an engaging hands-on education at the UG level, and more flexibility in the curriculum requirements, led the Physics program to experience an unprecedented growth in the number of majors, from 16 in 2011, to 42 in 2014, as well as in the graduation rate, from one in 2011, to 11 in 2014. Our experimental-based learning approach uses the laboratory as the basic environment for instruction. Our participation in other national programs, such as McNair and NASA, also contributed to our growth. Examples of teaching strategies adopted and the impact on our students' success will be presented. [Preview Abstract] |
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