Research In Our Group
Solid Polarized Targets:
We are unique among university based research
groups as we have the capability to develop, build, and maintain the
cryogenic polarized targets critical for investigating spin physics and helicity correlations.
We focus primarily on high cooling power evaporation systems and low temperature
frozen spin systems. We are also heavily involved in target material research and
optimizing polarization techniques improving the overall figure of merit in large
scale scattering experiments.
Spin Physics and Polarized Observables:
The group focuses on studies
of spin effects in highly polarized proton, neutron, and deuteron targets.
These polarized scattering experiments use the world-class solid polarized
targets, which are developed and tested right here in our Lab.
We concentrate on experiments that use spin degrees of freedom
(i.e. using polarized targets and beams) with photon, electron, and nucleon beams on nucleon targets
to extract new information about the properties of the fundamental building blocks
of nature.
Nuclear and Particle Physics Experiments:
We are interested in a wide
energy range and have projects and affiliations at Fermi National
Accelerator Facility, Dukes Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory,
Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Los Alamos National Labs, and Oak
Ridge National Labs.
(See our Experiments)
Theory and Phenomenology in Nuclear and Medium Energy:
We are involved in
studying the quark and gluon structure of hadrons. Our group works with
the nuclear theory group researching techniques to exploit helicity
correlations using machine learning to support our experimental effort.
We are interested in the quark and gluon structure of nuclei including
generalized parton and transverse momentum distributions.
Theory and Computational in Nuclear Spin Dynamics:
We are involved in
theoretical research of the polarization mechanisms in solid materials at low temperature. This work requires modeling different aspects of dynamic nuclear polarization and nuclear magnetic resonance for the purpose of optimizing and measuring bulk spin alignment in a variety of materials. We are also developing simulations of these mechanisms which can be used to better understand spin dynamics in a variety of field and temperature conditions. This research can be used to improve the overall figure of merit of helicity sensitive particle physics experiments.
