Undergraduate Scholars Program

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The Undergraduate Scholars Program (USP) is one of the largest multidisciplinary undergraduate research programs at MSU. We are here to help undergraduate students in all disciplines pursue research, scholarship, and creative projects.

The Undergraduate Scholars Program (USP) facilitates, supports, and promotes undergraduate research and scholarship by providing funding and logistical support directly to students.

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Non-radiative relaxation of rare-earth ions through coupling to hydrogen and deuterium impurities in crystals
(Montana State University, 2017-04) Olson, Kyle
Thulium-doped lithium niobate is a leading candidate for implementation of quantum information and signal processing systems. The wide absorption profile and exceptionally large oscillator strength are ideal for high-bandwidth and frequency-multiplexed applications. In many of these applications, optical waveguides allow chip-scale integration of optical elements. A popular method for fabricating waveguides in LiNbO3 is to diffuse hydrogen into the crystal; however, hydrogen can affect the optical properties of other ions, such as thulium, leading to unwanted non-radiative relaxation and heating effects. To determine the effect of hydrogen impurities on thulium-doped LiNbO3 crystals, we in-diffused thulium ions into the surface of LiNbO3 wafers and studied the fluorescence of the 3H4 - 3H6 Tm3+ transition for varying concentrations of hydrogen. Controlled amounts of hydrogen were added to the LiNbO3 wafers using proton exchange methods and the change in the thulium fluorescence lifetime was measured using pulsed laser excitation. Results suggest a very strong short-range interaction between thulium and hydrogen, causing rapid non-radiative relaxation for thulium near hydrogen and a reduction in lifetime by orders of magnitude. In contrast, there is no observable effect on thulium that is further from the hydrogen. Consequently, while increasing hydrogen levels reduces the fraction of thulium with long lifetimes needed for quantum and classical signal processing, the lifetimes of the remaining unaffected ions are still suitable for these applications. Results suggest that the fabrication of waveguides in thulium-doped LiNbO3 by proton exchange methods may be a viable approach for quantum and classical information applications over some ranges of hydrogen concentrations.
Development of Low-Cost Scanning Fabry-Perot Interferometers to Characterize High-resolution Laser Systems
(Montana State University, 2017-04) Nerem, Robert
Scanning Fabry-Perot Interferometers (SFPI’s) are a very useful tool for characterizing high-resolution laser systems. SFPI’s use optical interference effects to probe the frequency spectrum of the laser light, requiring special components that are specific to the wavelength (color) of the laser. Consequently, it is necessary to have multiple SFPI’s to characterize the wide variety of lasers used in an optical spectroscopy research lab; this can be prohibitively expensive if one uses standard commercially available SFPI’s. With this motivation, we investigated a low-cost modular design using standard optical components to span the entire visible and near-infrared spectrum. An initial SFPI was built and tested for use with a new tunable external cavity diode laser system operating at a wavelength of 690 nm for the study of Cr3+ ions in ruby and alexandrite optical crystals. Our new SFPI enabled the diode laser system to be evaluated and optimized by observing the effects of the laser cavity alignment and tuning on the laser’s frequency spectrum revealed by the SFPI. The performance and properties of our prototype SFPI have led to optimization of the design and construction. The finesse (spectral resolution) and frequency stability of the SFPI compares favorably to the performance of more expensive commercial interferometers. Additionally, the effects of environmental acoustic noise on the SFPI were studied, demonstrating that the cavity design is robust and stable. Guided by our results on this system, we are currently constructing several additional SFPI’s at wavelengths of 405 nm and 980 nm for use with other new laser systems in the laboratory.
The Light and Fast Terrestrial Gamma Ray Recorder
(Montana State University, 2017-04) Murtaugh, Jonathan
Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) are sub millisecond bursts of radiation from lightning flashes. The accelerated electrons in a lightning strike produce gamma-rays with energies up to tens of MeV, which are potentially harmful to aircrafts and flight crews. The Light and Fast TGF Recorder (LAFTR) is a device flown on a high-altitude weather balloon that will be able to provide data that will be used to reconcile competing TGF formation models through its unprecedented ability to count a high number of photons per event. In particular, LAFTR will reconcile the relativistic feedback and lightning leader tip formation models of TGFs. LAFTR will also be able to acquire data that will be able to confirm theoretical TGF distributions in inland North America, which currently predicts that TGFs should be relatively scarce in Montana. The competing formation models and LAFTR’s ability to reconcile the competing models will be outlined.
Turbulence Characterization via Coherent LIDAR Techniques
(Montana State University, 2017-04) Mitchell, Eric
The purpose of this research is to use coherent Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LIDAR) for the characterization of turbulence in the atmosphere. This application allows for sensitive measurements of the wave front fluctuations induced by turbulence. The high sensitivity of this method, allows for data collection for sampling distances ranging from 50-100 meters. From this extended data range, the relative turbulence strength between the target and the detector could be determined by implementation of the Kolmogorov’s theory of turbulence. The relative turbulence strength values range from 3x10-17 - 3x10-13 m-2/3 depending on altitude. This is a proof of concept demonstration and has applications in long range coherent imaging including synthetic aperture lidar (SAL).
Measuring Magnetic Reconnection using X-Ray and EUV Images
(Montana State University, 2017-04) Krenzler, Alexander
A great deal has been learned about the many phenomena driven by the Sun, but one that has remained an enigma is that of magnetic reconnection, the physical process in highly conducting plasmas in which the magnetic fields are rearranged and magnetic energy is converted to kinetic energy, thermal energy, and particle acceleration. It is known qualitatively that magnetic reconnection is fundamental in the formation of coronal loops and the production of solar flares, but much of the quantitative side is unclear. In this research, X-Ray and extreme ultraviolet images are obtained from regions identified to contain examples of magnetic reconnection. From these images, a series of cutouts to zoom in on the active emergence in each image are made. From these cutouts, coronal loops that display magnetic reconnection are identified, and quantitative values of magnetic flux transfer are obtained using an existing modelling code for coronal loops. The modelling parameters include the coronal densities of the loops and voltage drops from the original region to the newly emerged one. These values for voltage are quite large and are around 109 V. Using this knowledge, it should be possible to determine rate and strength of future solar eruptions.
Testing of Dome-Style Infrared Cloud Imager
(Montana State University, 2017-04) Kotila, Amanda
This study details the comparison of data from the recently-completed dome-style infrared cloud imager (dome ICI) with data from the traditional infrared cloud imagers (ICIs.) The dome ICI can view the entire sky horizon with one camera that views the sky as reflected off of a metal dome, as opposed to traditional ICIs which use a fisheye lens to view the sky horizon. This greatly reduces ICI costs; the single camera mounted to the dome ICI can be 1/10 the cost of a fisheye lens, while being better weatherproofed for continuous imaging, and post-collection data processing can be done straightforwardly using Matlab software. A direct comparison of images acquired by the dome ICI and the traditional infrared cloud images shows qualitative agreement between images collected by the two instruments. Due to its affordable camera, straightforward setup, and low maintenance costs, it will be a useful tool at all levels of imaging research.
Optical Trapping: Techniques and Applications
(Montana State University, 2017-04) Koller, Seth
Optical traps are important tools for studies in many fields including biophysics, medicine, chemistry, and more. This study explains the physics of optical trapping, designs and design constraints, specific applications of optical traps, and potential for new implementations. Once the phenomenon is understood, it will be straightforward to visualize the various possible designs depending on the intended use for the trap. There are many different ways in which an optical trap can be built and used; one example that will be discussed thoroughly is bioanalysis using optical traps, which allows for the comparison of genetically identical cells. With invention comes the potential for innovation and improvement, especially as technology progresses; therefore, the study will be finalized with a brief discussion of the future of optical traps.
Spatial Scale and Energy Characterization of Electron Microbursts
(Montana State Univeristy, 2017-04) Hyatt, Nathan
The FIREBIRD mission involves two small satellites called cubeSats which detect energetic electrons that are ejected into the atmosphere from the layer of energized particles, held by the earth’s magnetic field, known as the Van Allen radiation belt. (FIREBIRD is an acronym for Focused Investigations of Relativistic Electron Burst Intensity, Range, and Dynamics). Electrons are ejected from the sun during periods of high activity, and can be trapped in the earth’s magnetic field, but regions of electrons precipitating into the atmosphere, called electron microbursts, have been theorized to be originating in these trapped regions. The FIREBIRD mission aims to gather data about the electrons energies and locations of precipitation to understand the cause of this phenomena. Characterization of the regional size and energies of electron precipitation, in conjunction with data from missions investigating potential causes, can provide insight into how these electron microbursts are produced. This phenomenon directly concerns any space science application, and many more scientific fields, because electron microburst can be hazardous to spacecraft and electrical systems on earth. Working on a complex interdisciplinary project such as FIREBIRD requires a lot of collaboration between team members. This presentation will be designed to educate all members of the team on the physics involved in making a detection, and to explain possible causes of electron microbursts.
Non-Standard Neutron Star Cooling Using a Quark Model
(Montana State Univeristy, 2017-04) Deppmeier, Jacklyn
Neutron stars are extremely dense objects that are created during star deaths. They typically follow either a “standard” cooling process, or a faster “non-standard” cooling process. Non-standard cooling is caused by the presence of exotic particles such as pions, quarks, or hyperons in the core. This poster focuses on non-standard cooling using a quark core model. Cooling curves were created using a neutron star thermal evolution code modified to account for cores made of exotic particles. These models can be compared to previous models and experimental data to learn more about actual cooling behavior.
Electron Trapping Techniques
(Montana State Univeristy, 2017-04) Delaney, Colin; Scotto, Dario
Montana State University has never trapped electrons. Our research employs two different trapping methods to constrain and cool particles. The first is a Magneto Optic Trap (MOT); it employs two opposing solenoids coupled with a Doppler laser cooling to spatially constrain atoms to a large region. The next is a Circular Radio-Frequency Quadrupole (CRFQ) trap; it uses an oscillating electric quadrupole in a loop that traps ions in a tightly confined orbit. The combination of these traps can allow sympathetic cooling between the atomic-buffered gas of a MOT and ions in the CRFQ. Instead of ions, we seek to tune our trap for electrons. This technique could be used to study the quantum hall effect, or Bose-Einstein condensate, among other phenomena. My research presents different design configurations implementing combinations of MOT and CRFQ Traps and simulating trade-offs of their performance parameters to contain and cool ions. Variations such as the rotation of the quadrupole loops and their cross sectional shape, diameter and field strength of the anti-Helmholtz coil combined with laser amplitude and detuning from atomic resonance will be explored and tabulated.

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