Students experiments

The mini-telescope was developed for outreach purposes and to investigate the behavior of a readout ASIC coupled to large SiPM sensors. The outreach scope is to increase the interest in gamma-ray astronomy, cosmic rays, as well as detector physics. This project is the result of a collaboration between the Multi-Messenger High-Energy Astrophysics group of the Particle Physics Department (DPNC) and the Department of Astronomy at the University of Geneva.

If you are interested in more detail please contact A. Nagai: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The show case experiment developed at the University of Geneva for the measurements of cosmic muons is using a 1m plastic scintillator bar that is coupled on both ends to SiPM detectors. The measured signal can be visualized using an oscilloscope. To separate the signal of cosmic ray muons from detector noise signals the detectors are read out in coincidence mode. Then the rate of cosmic ray muons can be measured, and also the muon rate as a function of the inclination can be studied.

For further information please contact A. Nagai: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

At KIT a students experiments for measuring cosmic muons was developed and produced for training and learning purposes in the context of SENSE: the SiPM Cosmic Can.

With the SiPM Cosmic Can it is possible to measure cosmic muons with a coffe can and a SiPM as detector. The cosmic muons produce Cherenkov light while travelling through the water filled can. Wavelength shifting fibers lead the light to the SiPM which can the be read out using an oscilloscope.

The usage of SiPM instead of PMTs gives students the opportunity to work hands-on with state-of-the-art photosensors and to learn about both, cosmic particles and current detector technology.

A set of ten cans is available for outreach and education events and can be borrowed from KIT. If you are interested, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.