Experimental physics tries to get qualitative and quantitative statements about physical processes with the help of scientific experiments. The basic procedure consists of the design of relevant experiments, preparation of test set-up, investigation of interactions of systems with other physical objects, and the actual measurement of results.
The MedAustron Centre for Ion Beam Therapy and Research provides a highly technical platform for the investigations of experimental physicists. The accelerator complex at MedAustron is designed primarily for the delivery of protons and carbon ions for tumour treatment. Therefore, the beam parameters (60-250 MeV protons, carbon ions 120-400 MeV/u) will be optimised accordingly. Increasing the proton energy to 800 MeV in a separate irradiation room opens valuable research opportunities (detector development, proton scattering, materials research, etc) to the scientists that are found in almost no other research facility to this extent.
MedAustron provides high-quality education for students and young researchers in various specialty areas such as physical aspects of experimental nuclear physics, detector physics and accelerator physics.
Potential fields of research:
Nuclear physics
- Determination of nuclear radii
- Optical potentials in the intermediate energy
- p-p scattering/nucleon-nucleon interaction
- Measurement of spin observables (polarised target)
Detector development
- Development and test of particle detectors
- Preparation and commissioning of test systems for large research centres
Materials research single-ion microprobe
- High-energy proton computed tomography (HePCT)
- Radiation effects on microelectronics and high-temperature superconductors
Radiation protection and dosimetry
- Solid-state micro- and nanodosimetry – therapy dosimetry (development of semiconductor microdosimeter for proton and heavy ion beam therapy)
- Simulation of space exposure (study of radiation hardness of electronic components for space, dosimetry development for space applications)
