LABORATORIO DI FISICA SUBNUCLEARE E MEDICA
Knowledge of the English language and having followed a nuclear and subnuclear physics lab (for instance Laboratory IV of the bachelor course or something equivalent)
The course foresees the following results:
- very good knowledge of the main techniques of particle physics, concentrating on silicon and scintillating detectors
- very good knowledge of the application of these techniques in the medical field
- development of the capability of the analysis of data collected on dedicated beamlines or in the hospital environment
- development of the capability of writing a scientific article in English
Course program
The course program is the following:
- introduction to the experimental techniques of particle physics and their application to the medical field
- analysis of the data collected on beam and/or in a medical environment with silicon detectors and scintillating detectors:
* identification of the figures of merit: signal to noise ratio, energy resolution, spatial resolution, time resolution, dynamic range
* preparation in the lab of a typical experimental setup for one of the indicated detector classes
- writing of a “scientific article” in English summarizing one of the measurements studied during the course
Teaching methods
The course is based on:
- lessons
- activity in the lab, to understand the working principles of the instrumentation
- data analysis
- article writing
Textbooks and references
The following bibliography is used:
- W.R.Leo, ISBN 0-387-57280-5
- G.F.Knoll, ISBN 0-471-07338-5
- K. Kleinknecht, Detectors for particle radiation, 2nd ed, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, 1998 (ISBN 0521648548)
- slides for the lessons and seminars/articles
Final exam
The main result expected from the course is the scientific article in English. Once this article is considered of an acceptable level, the exam consists in a discussion with the student on the article itself. If several groups are present, the final step of the exam, in place of the discussion, is the presentation of the work to the rest of the class.