The rotation rates of galaxies disagree with the Newtonian physics prediction based on the visible mass; dark matter - matter that does not interact at all with light - is believed to account for the significant discrepancy. Despite the universe being 26.8% dark matter (DM), its particle identity is unknown. This research aims to study some of the possible mechanisms for producing dark matter in proton-proton collisions, namely mono-W/Z processes. In these events, proton-proton collisions produce a DM particle-antiparticle pair, along with W/Z bosons. Since the DM does not interact with light, it must be observed by its absence - "missing energy" that is carried off by the DM - the detected boson recoils off this missing energy. Since DM is not part of the standard model of particle physics, we introduce the candidate DM particle χ and the two-Higgs doublet model (2HDM) to allow the necessary interactions. Since χ is hypothetical, we choose candidate values for its mass between 1 and 1300 GeV. Montecarlo simulations of particular mono-boson processes are run at 8 and 13 TeV using MadGraph; background processes are filtered out by applying momentum cuts. We determine the likelihood of the mono-boson processes via the resulting cross-section and by studying the plots of the missing energy and momentum. Although this research is currently conducted via simulations, the LHC is scheduled to begin Run II in April 2015 after upgrades to the proton beam energies. We wish to analyze this real data through similar studies of missing energy and momentum, and be at the forefront of this scientific event. This research will ultimately contribute to understanding the nature and production of dark matter, giving us a more complete description of our universe.

New developments in distribution and technology have led to an availability of electromagnetic materials that were previously not easily available for research or casual experimentation. They can now be easily made in a lab setting with modest equipment and material investment. These seemingly exotic liquids have new and exciting properties that can be harnessed in unique ways such as printable ink circuits, speaker design, electronic sensing, and biomedical applications. We focused our research on the creation and testing of a single conductive compound. For this research study we created a liquid Gallium Indium alloy (GaIn) for use in comparison testing with a common Copper (Cu) wire of similar gauge. Along with documenting our manufacturing, and variables that impact the electromagnetic behavior, we used finite element modeling software (FEMM) to create models of expected behavior to compare with our actual measured results. Once created, we placed the alloy in a thin flexible tube simulating a “liquid wire” and ran comparison tests using the copper wire, the GaIn wire, and the FEMM software. The comparison tests consisted of: inductance, conductivity, resistivity, and magnetic field generation at various voltages. Their unique liquid state means these materials can be used in new and novel ways to help augment roles currently played by solids with similar properties. They may have more extreme performance under more extreme circumstances. We hope that by sharing their creation techniques and general properties, it sparks further experimentation with these exciting, versatile materials.

An understanding of electric discharge in gases is of fundamental importance in fields ranging from consumer product manufacturing to global weather modeling. Unfortunately, there is wide disagreement in the literature about the specific values of certain physical quantities, so-called Townsend coefficients, which are necessary for predictive modeling of electric discharge in gases. I discuss here my research towards theoretical modeling and experimental verification of the effects of geometrical shape factors on the Townsend coefficients in cylindrical containment vessels over pressure-length 0.1 < pL < 10 Torr•cm and cylindrical geometric length/radius 0.1 < L/R < 12 domains.

Wind tunnels are devices used to simulate real-world aerodynamic conditions and characteristics using small-scale models that will be experienced by larger-scale engineering structures such as aircraft, buildings, bridges, windmills, and even cities. They are useful for studying and addressing problems of the stability, efficiency, and feasibility of engineering designs on a small-scale before scaling-up to larger and more-expensive engineering projects. We present here our contributions to the enhancement of the EdCC/URSA 5-meter wind tunnel concentrating on analysis of existing wind tunnel components and improvements to fan blade design directed at increasing laminar flow efficiency and reducing test section turbulence and flow inhomogeneity,with airfoils and fan, pre-fabrication SolidWorks modeling and computational fluid dynamics simulations to post-fabrication experimental testing.

In order to detect the products of high-energy particle collisions produced at accelerators like the large hadron collider, specialized sensors are required. At a basic level these sensors are not so dissimilar from what you would find in a digital camera, just tuned differently. In order to control these sensors, specific frameworks are developed to configure and gather data from the sensor as rapidly as possible. Recently, efforts have been made to create a more general-purpose framework, Basil, which can be used on multiple sensors. This research focuses on adding to the Basil framework to make it compatible with our development board, SEABAS, and with T3MAPS, a sensor prototype we are testing here at the University of Washington. T3MAPS is cheaper to produce than current sensors, and is also more resistant to radiation. Both qualities are highly desired at the Large Hadron Collider’s detectors, which use many thousands of sensors to track particles. T3MAPS must go through the same process, using the Basil framework to construct commands and gather data from the sensor. By using a general-purpose framework like Basil we are able to make relevant speed comparisons to other sensors using the same hardware platform. Currently, Basil is 90% functional on our development board and has been conformed to work with the Basil framework on other boards. After Basil is fully functional on SEABAS, T3MAPS will be compared to other sensors currently used in the Large Hadron Collider.

How can can electricity be generated from the ambient motion experienced by a motorized vehicle during its operation? Combustion and electric vehicles have a natural loss of power when encountering bumps and pot holes. The linear displacement undergone during such encounters is available as kinetic energy which, through an induction system, can be converted into electrical energy. If systems that harness those disturbances are installed on vehicles, they can be used to offset and extend the duration of battery operations. In particular, spring systems that utilize inductance can lead to an efficient translation of kinetic energy back into electrical energy where it is now available to be reused by the vehicle. By analyzing and altering existing methods we aim to identify areas of improvement. By measuring the device's displacement, energy generation, and speed, we can determine the efficiency the system regenerates its electical energy. It is anticipated that the insights gained from the analysis will lead to a handful of improvements that will increase the ability for the kinetic energy returned.  Analyzing and sharing existing methods, along with our own improvements, allows us to broaden future exploration of the topic such as new investigations, materials, research methods, or general design improvements.

Over the past decade, graphene – a single layer of carbon atoms – has risen to fame for its electronic tunability and promise in high-speed electronic devices. Intense study of this material has led to the investigation of similar two-dimensional (2D) materials – in particular, a group of materials called the Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs), which can be isolated in few-layer form. While many TMDs have seen significant study in recent years, one remains relatively untouched: tungsten telluride (WTe2). To investigate the optoelectronic properties of WTe2 and gauge its promise in devices, its atomic structure must first be known. This study aims to elucidate the thickness dependent structure of WTe2 through the use of nonlinear optical spectroscopy. Photons incident on a nonlinear material undergo a frequency-doubling, or what is called second harmonic generation (SHG). Detecting this phenomenon with respect to different polarizations of light can provide information about a material’s symmetry groups and thus, structure. To study WTe2 with this technique, samples were exposed to a 790 nanometer femtosecond laser which generated an SHG signal that was recorded with a spectrometer and charge-coupled device. Preliminary experiments showed rapid degradation of WTe2 when exposed to powers commonly used to probe other TMDs. Additionally, WTe2 showed increased degradation when exposed to oxygen. Thickness and polarization dependent SHG of WTe2 is currently underway and will provide detailed information regarding the structure of few-layer WTe2. Following the study of WTe2, identical experiments will be carried out to probe the structure of molybdenum telluride (MoTe2), providing the opportunity to compare the structure and properties of two atomically similar materials. These studies will provide a foundation of knowledge necessary for future studies of the materials, and will enhance our understanding of the structure and properties of TMDs and other 2D materials.

 We present our development of a real-time emergency vehicle identification and localization system meant to increase transportation safety by notifying potentially distracted drivers of oncoming emergency vehicles and thereby allowing emergency vehicles to respond more efficiently. The in-vehicle system is designed to constantly monitor exterior vehicle sounds with an array of directional microphones. Large-area environmental sounds are pre-processed by an ADC microcontroller and fed through a fast Fourier transform for acoustic spectral analysis by a neural network algorithm designed to identify a broad range of emergency vehicle sirens while at the same time minimizing false-positive triggers due to complicated background noises. High-probability triggers as determined by the neural network algorithm then initiate acoustic geolocation and motion sensing through hyperbolic intercepts determined by time delays taken from the quad-array microphones. In parallel, for comparison, we will be benchmarking the neural network against an implemented Goertzel algorithm. The results of the emergency vehicle's location will then be finalized by being output to the user.

Ultracold atoms, atoms at temperatures close to absolute zero, are ideal systems to study quantum few- and many-body phenomena. Our group simultaneously produces two ultracold atomic species, lithium and ytterbium, to study quantum phenomena in ultracold mixtures and in ultracold dipolar molecular gases. Finding efficient experimental schemes to produce large and highly degenerate quantum gases is crucial in this experiment. Hence, we implement a novel D1 gray-molasses cooling method to cool lithium-6. The research project is to develop the frequency stabilization of the cooling lasers on the lithium D1 transition. It involves the construction of a lithium vapor cell and the development of a saturated absorption laser spectroscopy (SALS) apparatus. SALS is a two beam method which exploits the saturation of atomic transitions due to the absorption of light to produce a Doppler free signal. It enables optical access to the precise transition frequency of lithium-6 gas. The lasers, stabilized by the SALS, can then be used to efficiently trap and cool atoms to degeneracy.

We present our work on the design and engineering of a wireless robotic hand which will mimic the movements of a remote user’s hand while simultaneously providing the user with realistic mechanical, tactile feedback. Applications range from allowing remote users to work in unreachable places or unstable zones, such as hazardous chemical or sterile environments, to performing minor surgeries, administering first aid, or defusing explosives. The core support structure of the remote hand itself is created with a 3D printer. Force-feedback articulated joints are controlled by internal servo motors, pressure and thermal sensors located at the fingertips. The remote user interface consists of a paired exoskeleton with external servo motors and tactile sources for mechanical, pressure, and thermal feedback to the user. The remote hand and user exoskeleton together form a wireless, bi-directional networked feedback system.

Radar can be used to detect faint movements through dense material, map terrain through dense cloud cover miles above the earth, and calculate the distance from a point to an object. While regarded as a mature technology, Radar is by no means a dead field; current research includes detecting motion through walls, for search and rescue and law enforcement applications, detecting landmines, and consumer vehicle collision detection. We present here our work on the construction and testing of an extremely flexible yet inexpensive Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) microwave radar, based on MIT open courseware, which is suitable for simultaneous range finding, synthetic-aperture imaging, Doppler-shift velocity determination and measurement of microwave absorptance of materials. Our Radar is constructed from off-the-shelf RF components, waveguide antennas made from recycled coffee cans, and interfaces with a laptop PC through its sound card, allowing us to perform digital signal processing and software visualization.

Traditional imaging methods fall flat when dealing with objects embedded in heavily scattering media because information necessary to image formation is lost in the scattered imaging signal. The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) is one promising system to realize high-resolution imaging through heavily scattering media. A novel high-resolution imaging method that is largely impervious to scattering difficulties can be achieved by exploiting the magnetic-field dependence of the NV center’s fluorescence. A single NV center is a magnetic quantum system with spin energy level splitting that depends on the value of the magnetic field at the location of the NV center. Using optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR), we can determine the splitting between two spin energy levels and thus the value of the magnetic field at the FND. It follows that if FNDs are placed in a magnetic field whose value is known at all points, the FND positions can be determined through application of ODMR, potentially allowing for spatial resolution in the nanoscale. In this work, we characterize the optical and spin properties of FNDs created with a very high density of NV centers in order to determine their suitability for diffusive imaging. Optical brightness, NV center density, and the sensitivity of the fluorescence dependence on magnetic field are reported. Using these properties, we estimate the expected performance of a diffusive imaging microscope based on the FNDs.

The Hidden Valley is a new theory that extends the Standard Model, our current best description of particles and forces that make up our universe. The Hidden Valley theory, along with others, extends the Standard Model in an attempt describe phenomena like dark matter not yet included in the Standard Model. Hidden Valley particles do not interact with Standard Model particles, and are therefore impossible to directly detect. But by using their predicted decay products, we may be able to prove their existence. We are currently running simulations to try to give us an idea of what we should be looking for when we use data from the Large Haddon Collider at CERN. Features of the model and the search strategy will be presented.

ATLAS, a Toroidal LHC Apparatus underwent an upgrade from 2013 to 2014 as the first phase of the preparation for High Luminosity LHC. An additional beam layer called the Insertable B-Layer (IBL) is installed between the existing pixel detectors and is situated at a radius of 3.2 cm. This new layer increases the performance of the tracking at high luminosity. In order to reconstruct the path of the particles in the detector, the position of the detectors must be determined precisely. Present work involves the use of cosmic muons that provide different topology in accessing the stability of the new geometry and the alignment software. The final determination of the geometry of the detector would be used as the reference geometry for the real collision data collecting. This project prepares the ATLAS inner detector for the upcoming runs in May 2015.

The Standard Model of particle physics is an extremely successful theory in explaining vast phenomena, and almost all of its predictions have been verified up to date, most recently with the finding of the Higgs. One of the predictions is that the gauge bosons or vector bosons in the electroweak sector can interact with each other through quartic vertices. The goal of the study is to search for such interactions which can occur in many decay channels. Using Madgraph Monte Carlo generator, the quartic interaction is simulated using the vector scattering process and probed for the Zgammajj channel in which the Z can decay into either two leptons or neutrinos. The simulated events are compared with Standard Model predictions and the so called "anomalous quartic gauge coupling" interpretation, in which the Standard Model is extended. The signal events is carefully selected using information of the resulting particles and the quarks jet information. The event generator study will be useful in helping background estimation that can "fake" or obscure the real signals coming from the detector since the signal process is rare and hard to detect while the background is usually more common. Study of the gauge coupling process can lead to better understanding of electroweak symmetry breaking which gives the gauge boson mass and at the same time can serve as a tool or probe to find the new heavier Higgs described beyond Standard Model.

ATLAS is a particle detector located at the Large Hadron Collider that is used to perform experiments in high-energy physics. In 2014, the Insertable B-Layer (IBL) was implemented into the center of the ATLAS detector to protect detector layers against radiation damage and provide additional particle tracking accuracy. During the years leading up to the implementation of the IBL, the ATLAS scientific community had asked for computer visualizations of the detector that were updated to show the addition of the IBL. Using the computer graphics software 3DS Max, we implemented the IBL in the detector images to produce a new, up-to-date generation of ATLAS detector images. Following this graphical update of the detector itself, we are planning on developing a new set of 3D computer animations that visualize the physical concepts behind the ATLAS experiments, including the LHC’s role in searching for discoveries related to dark matter, origins of the universe, and the Higgs boson. These animations will be used in scientific education as a useful way to visualize important concepts in particle physics.

Traditional computing is based around manipulating 1s and 0s, or bits, through logic gates. However, quantum computers have been proposed which replace classical bits with quantum bits or qubits. As these qubits can be in a superposition state, that is both 1 and 0 at the same time, this opens up a wide range of computational possibilities. Our research focuses on trapping ions, which can be used as qubits and potentially scaled up. However, in order to reliably operate on trapped ions, they must be very cold. Traditionally, this cooling is done with lasers that exploit the Doppler effect to slow down ions. My work has focused on deploying a 370 nm laser, which can be used to cool ytterbium ions. For our usage, some novel technical solutions were required. To bring the peak wavelength down to 370 nm, the laser diode needed to be cooled to sub-zero temperatures and placed in a dry nitrogen environment to avoid condensation. Work will continue as we begin to cool ytterbium ions, and ultimately create cold chains of barium and ytterbium.

The Hidden Valley is a new theory that extends the Standard Model, our current best description of particles and forces that make up our universe. The Hidden Valley theory, along with others, extends the Standard Model in an attempt to describe phenomena like dark matter not yet included in the Standard Model. Hidden Valley particles do not interact with Standard Model particles, and are therefore impossible to directly detect. But by using their predicted decay products we maybe be able to prove their existence. We are running simulations to try to give us an idea of what we should be looking for when we use data from the Large Haddon Collider at CERN. Features of the model and the search strategy will be presented.

Trapped ion quantum computing uses laser cooled trapped ions as qubits (a quantum equivalent of classical bits) to store quantum information. The combination of barium and ytterbium ions is a promising candidate for this experiment because of their similar atomic masses which allows for efficient sympathetic cooling, and the convenient structure of those ions’ atomic energy levels. Each ion species needs different energy to change their electron state. The goal of my project is to improve ion trapping mechanism by building a stable power supply for the ovens that heat metallic barium and ytterbium to create neutral atoms which are later ionized and trapped. Stable oven temperature is needed to controllably evaporate these metals while maintaining a stable pressure of the system and minimizing light radiated from the oven itself. Therefore, I designed a circuit to make a stable dual channel total power regulating supply for the system which accommodates changes in the oven’s resistance. The main circuitry provides up to 20W to each oven. An additional digital interface allows the experiment control system to switch the ovens on or off as needed. A display of power supply’s current, voltage and power is included in the circuit to provide more information about the heating mechanism. This low cost, yet stable power supply is expected to increases the efficiency of the experiment and enhance the overall ion trapping process.

Project 8 is an experiment using a new technique, Cyclotron Radiation Emission Spectroscopy (CRES), to measure the mass scale of the neutrino. Currently, the setup is focused on demonstrating the energy resolution of this method by studying single-electron radiation from Krypton 83m. This experiment requires the coordinated and simultaneous control of many instruments using a slow control system. I will discuss the design, deployment, and operation of this modular, cross-platform system for the Project 8 experiment, how it is used in calibrating and characterizing the resolution of the CRES technique, and the future opportunities for controlling a full-scale neutrino mass experiment.

Axions are a type of particle that could make up the mysterious dark matter in our universe. The Axion Dark Matter Experiment (ADMX) at the University of Washington (UW) is searching for axions with masses around 3 ueV using a microwave cavity, but higher mass axions could be dark matter as well. We constructed an axion experiment called "Orpheus" using a novel technique involving a Fabry-Perot resonator in spatially varying magnetic field to search for axions at higher masses. We were able to show a sensitivity to dark matter axions competitive with large laser experiments and have a path to upgrade the experiment to explore new dark matter axion parameter space.

It is known that representations of electromagnetic plane waves (EMW) are difficult for students to understand; examples of electromagnetic waves are radio waves, visible light, and x-rays. Student responses to a question that focuses on using only an EMW and wires to light a lightbulb, no batteries or outlets involved, where examined. The question requires students to understand the 2D representation of an EMW as a 3D image, and know how the representation changes over time. In studying student responses to the question, one type of logic was identified in student reasoning that causes confusion based on the given representation. This poster will discuss implications from student responses to this question and provide an alternate phrasing that might impact student responses and understanding of electromagnetic plane waves.

The neutrino remains the only standard model particle with an unknown mass. The neutrino mass could be inferred by means of precise energy measurements of tritium beta decay electrons. Project 8 is an experiment to do this using cyclotron radiation emission spectroscopy (CRES). We are currently evaluating the energy resolution of this technique by trapping and measuring Krypton 83m conversion electrons. Observing these trapped electrons can also provide information about the residual gas in the trap. I will present the results of identifying and analyzing electron-gas scattering events and speculate on how this can be used to improve future designs of the Project 8 experiment.

The Type Six Secretion System (T6SS) is a bacterial toxin-delivery system targeting bacterial cells which neighbor the donor. By understanding the T6SS, we can potentially treat biofilm related problems more efficiently by implementing it into medicine. The current model of this system suggests that it is structurally similar to a bacteriophage and injects effectors into a neighboring bacterial cell to promote the neighboring cell’s death. T6SS is a complex molecular machine made out of at least 15 proteins found in an abundance of bacterial species. We test the current model of T6SS in vivo by using fluorescence microscopy to quantify the dynamics of two essential proteins of the system, Fha and ClpV, in P. aeruginosa (PA). Fha is a membrane protein hypothesized to be one of the first proteins to interact with the structure’s site, while ClpV is hypothesized to disassemble the structure after the system is fired. We also measure how proximity of PA to B. thailandensis, an antagonistic bacterial species which also has an active T6SS, affects the dynamics of these protein interactions. We expect Fha and ClpV to be more active as the proximity of PA to B. thailandensis decreases.

An automated wave plate rotator (AWPR) is an optical device that allows a user to remotely and precisely control the polarization of a laser beam. AWPR's are used in optical research studies of materials by providing optical intensity or polarization control. Commercial AWPR's are expensive and here I present the design and implementation of a low-cost alternative that utilizes a programmable microcontroller, stepper motor, and a few electronic components. The AWPR will be remotely controlled via Matlab and will include features such as home detection and position feedback. Results on position precision and accuracy will be reported.

Our lab is investigating the possibility of a magnetic dipole orientation sensor that is compatible with biological samples. Utilizing a thin near-surface layer of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond, we are able to optically image small magnetic field disturbances. This has allowed us to detect and locate magnetic nanoparticles on the diamond surface under ambient conditions. In this work, we examine the feasibility of using a similar sensor to detect the magnetic orientation of the particles, in addition to their location. I have developed software to simulate the imaging system, taking into account factors such as the size and material of the particles, as well as the optical properties of the sensing surface. I will present simulation results indicating that orientation measurements should be possible, as well as initial experimental results for 50 nm and 500 nm magnetic particles that were deposited on a diamond surface. The ability to detect the orientation of biologically compatible magnetic nanoparticles will likely be useful in the study of a wide variety of microbiological processes, enabling the tracking of complex motion on the nano-scale.

The optical spintronics and sensing lab researches the fundamental properties of defects in semiconductors for quantum-enabled technologies. The lab is extending its measurement capabilities to the wide bandgap material, ZnO, which requires a near ultraviolet laser source. Here we will use second harmonic generation (SHG), a common type of nonlinear optical interaction, to realize a laser at 369 nm from incident laser light at 738 nm, a wavelength readily available in the laboratory. The SHG laser source consists of a birefringent crystal chosen from BBO (Beta Barium Borate), BIBO (Bismuth Borate), and LBO (Lithium Triborate), all of which are common non-linear optical materials that are often used for SHG. Design parameters include the crystal’s nonlinear susceptibility, its thickness, and cut angle. The cut angle is determined by phase matching between the fundamental wavelength and second harmonic to optimize the SHG efficiency. Birefringence exhibited in these crystals allows us to achieve this phase matching because we are able to find a propagation direction through which both wavelengths experience a same refractive index. The crystal design and efforts toward experimentally realizing the SHG source will be presented.

The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center is a defect in diamond that has promising applications in quantum information processing based on quantum entanglement. A critical requirement for quantum entanglement is that separate NV centers have identical optical properties. Here we present the design and implementation of an optical characterization system for NV centers called photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectroscopy. While scanning a NV center with light from a tunable-frequency red laser, we detect and analyze the intensity of the resulting photoluminescence. The suitability of this system for characterizing NV centers, resonantly exciting the centers, and providing feedback to stabilize the NV optical properties will be discussed.