3 ECTS credits
90 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4016098FNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Registration for 'Measurement Techniques in Nuclear Science' is allowed if one is registered for or has successfully accomplished 'Medical Physics' and 'Nuclear Physics'.
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
Faculty
Faculteit Ingenieurswetenschappen
Department
Supporting clinical sciences
Educational team
Peter Covens
Nico Buls (course titular)
Thierry Gevaert
Gert Van Gompel
Activities and contact hours

20 contact hours Lecture
12 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
Course Content

Introduction
- Documentation
- A few words about units and physical constants
- Special relativity
- Probability and statistics
- The structure of matter at the subatomuic scale

Interactions of particles in matter
- Energy loss of charged particles
- Multiple scattering
- Cherenkov effect
- Bremsstrahlung
- Interactions of x-rays and gamma rays in matter
- Interactions of particles in matter due to the strong force
- Neutrino interactions and examples

Natural and man made sources of radiation
- Natural sources of radiation
- Units of radiation and radiation protection
- Electrostatic accelerators
- Cyclotrons
- Synchrotrons and colliders
- Linear accelerators
- Secondary beams
- Applications of accelerators
- Outlook

Detectors based in ionisation in gases
- Introduction to detectors for subatomic particles
- Ionisation and charge transport in gaseas Ionisation chambers
- Counters with gas amplification
- Applications of counters with gas amplification
- Micro-pattern gas amplification counters

Semiconductor detectors
- Introduction to semiconductors
- The semiconductor junction as a detector
- Silicon semiconductor detectors
- Germanium semiconductor detectors
- Other semiconductor detector materials.

Detectors based on scintillation
- Introduction to scintillators
- Organic scintillator
- Inorganic scintillators
- Photodetector Using scintillators in the nuclear energy range
- Applications of scintillators in high-energy physics
- Applications of scintillators in medicine

Nuclear electronics
- Introduction
- Amplifiers for nuclear electronics
- Noise

Course material
Handbook (Required) : Experimental techniques in Nuclear and particle physics, A. Hermanne, S. Tavernier, Springer, 9783642426025, 2010
Additional info
The venue for the lectures is at the VUB, and the timing is second half of 1st semester.
There are also two days of lab sessions. These take place on two different days with at least two days in between.
This course can be taken on its own. However, I strongly advise to take this course together with
the course on Nuclear physics by A. Hermanne. The lectures are based on the handbook " Experimental techniques in Nuclear and particle physics". S. Tavernier, Springer 2010.
Lectures notes are available from http://w3.iihe.ac.be/~stavern/
The file is password protected. The password is "Tav2907VUB"
Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

The aim of these lectures is to teach the students the physical principles of the interaction of ionising radiation and subatomic particles with matter and to introduce them to the instrumentation and methods used in the detection of subatomic particles and ionising radiation, and give an overview of accelerators.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Oral exam closed book with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation
Oral examination , closed book
Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Startplan
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Profile Radiation Physics
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Profile Biomechanics and Biomaterials
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Profile Sensors and Medical Devices
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Profile Neuro-Engineering
Master of Biomedical Engineering: Standaard traject (NIEUW)
Postgraduate Certificate Expert in Medical Physics: Standaard traject