Projects
Choose among these 7 projects
Gravitational Waves detection with the LIGO-Virgo Interferometers & the Einstein Telescope
IFAE is a member of the LIGO and Virgo collaborations, which detect gravitational waves using large terrestrial interferometers. Researchers at IFAE contribute to several aspects of this research, ranging from detector instrumentation and optical simulations to the analysis of gravitational-wave data. The institute is also actively involved in the preparation of the next-generation Einstein Telescope (ET) experiment.
Students joining the group will have the opportunity to participate in ongoing research activities related to gravitational-wave science. Depending on their interests and background, projects may involve data analysis techniques (including machine learning approaches), simulations of interferometer optics, or studies related to detector instrumentation and future gravitational-wave observatories.
Number of students: 2
Place: IFAE
Superconducting quantum computers
In the QCT group at IFAE we develop superconducting quantum circuits for applications in quantum computation and quantum sensing of high energy physics events. Superconducting qubits are electrical circuits behaving as artifical atoms which resonate at the microwave frequency domain. Qubit operations correspond to microwave engineered pulses which rotate the qubit state at will, and their quantum state is read out using superconducting resonators or cavities.
In this project, the student will participate in the characterization of superconducting resonators and cavities to use with superconducting qubits, analyzing the data and evaluating the quality of the materials. Tests of device characteristics at room temperature and low temperature will be conducted.
Number of students: 1
Place: IFAE
New detection schemes for ultralight dark matter
One of the most compelling open questions in physics is the nature of dark matter. While the gravitational evidence for its existence is overwhelming, its fundamental identity remains unknown. A particularly exciting class of candidates is ultralight dark matter (ULDM). These candidates behave as coherent waves rather than individual particles. As such, they require different detection paradigms from traditional dark matter searches. In this project, we will develop the theoretical framework for one such detection scheme, deriving the expected signal at a precision mechanical sensor and forecasting how competitive a realistic experiment could be in the broader landscape of dark matter searches.
Number of students: 2
Place: IFAE
Mapping the young Universe
By looking at catalogs of millions of distant galaxies, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has been able to provide very accurate measurements of the expansion history as a function of cosmic time. In order to go back in time as much as possible and study the Universe when it was even younger, we would like to map the distribution of matter at distances further than those accessible by galaxy surveys.
In this summer internship, the student will explore the possibility of mapping the young universe with two alternative probes: the Lyman alpha forest in quasars observed by DESI, and the density maps reconstructed from the lensing of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). These two probes have already been used independently, but they have not been used together. The join analysis of these datasets offers a very promising tool to study the young Universe, and complement current efforts that use galaxy surveys.
The internship will provide students with experience in python programming and data analysis, as well as the understanding of the phenomenon of the Lyman alpha forest, weak gravitational lensing and their significance in cosmology and astrophysics. They will also gain experience in presenting and discussing their work and findings in front of colleagues at weekly group meetings.
Number of students: 1
Place: IFAE
Search for anomalous events in observations performed with the CTAO-LST1 Cherenkov Telescope
Very-high energy photons (E>20 GeV) are a key tool for the study of some of the most extreme environments in the universe: stellar explosions, pulsars and supermassive black holes are prime targets for this fast-developing branch of Astronomy. The Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) is the next-generation ground-based observatory for gamma-ray astronomy at very-high energies. The first large-sized CTAO telescope, LST-1, the most advanced of its kind worldwide, is already operational in the northern hemisphere site of CTA, at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory in the Canary island of La Palma. IFAE has played a major role in the construction and the commissioning of the cameras of LST-1. LST-1 records the Cherenkov light induced in the atmosphere by the showers of ultrarelativistic particles initiated by very-high-energy cosmic photons. The student will work in the analysis of LST-1 observations performed in the 2020-2026 period, looking specifically for “anomalous events” like those produced e.g. by artificial satellites crossing the field of view of the telescope, which are a source of background for the instrument. Good programming skills, with some software development experience in Python, are required.
Number of students: 1
Place: IFAE
Commissioning and testing of LST cameras and LIDAR systems for CTAO
The Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) is the next-generation ground-based facility for very-high-energy gamma-ray astronomy, designed to explore the non-thermal Universe with unprecedented sensitivity. The Large-Sized Telescopes (LSTs) play a key role in CTAO by extending its sensitivity down to the lowest energies, while atmospheric monitoring systems such as LIDARs are essential for the accurate calibration of Cherenkov data. IFAE is deeply involved in the development, commissioning and operation of the LSTs as well as the LIDAR. The student will have the opportunity to participate in the commissioning and testing of either the LST cameras or the LIDAR system, contributing to hardware tests, performance validation, and data analysis.
Number of students: 1
Place: IFAE
Particle Physics with the ATLAS Experiment @ the LHC
The student will work in the IFAE ATLAS group in topics such as:
- Search for beyond the Standard Model particles in the ATLAS detector like new pseudo-scalars coupling to top quarks. The student will investigate the potential of finding them using several independent selections and combining the information in a deep neural network discriminating signal from background. The study will use Monte Carlo simulations.
Number of students: 1
Place: IFAE
