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Current Student Research Projects
Characterization of Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) Noise
High-Speed Signal Digitization for SiPM Detectors
Design of a UV LED Calibration Light Source
Winston Cone Characterization Using a SiPix Camera
Calibration of the TARGET C Readout Electronics
Testing and Performance Evaluation of the IceAct Telescope Camera
Data Analysis for the IceTop and IceAct Experiments
Development of an Improved Winston Cone Attachment Technique
Design and Deployment of a Weather Monitoring Station
Building a Miniature IceCube In-Ice Detector
Construction and Operation of a Spark Chamber
Internal wikipage
https://wiki.icecube.wisc.edu/index.php/Marquette_Research_Group
Our research group collaborates closely with the Marquette Metallurgy and Mechanical Engineering departments particularly on fabrication of telescope parts, Winston cone polishing and testing. Most of the key measurements and quality tests are conducted in our in house laser room which is used to determine the optical quality of cones before attaching with the telescope camera. This room is also equipped with a darkroom setup for telescope camera calibration.
The telescope construction includes the fabrication and assembly of multiple components, including the DAQ box and its wiring, outer enclosure, back plate, lens frame, lens heating system, and various 3D printed parts, all assembled within a protective barrel. The integration of Winston cones with the camera board is a particularly sensitive and critical step. In addition, the recent upgrade of the PiRATE module also be incorporated into the telescope.
The fully assembled IceAct telescope undergoes final performance validation through freezer testing and night-sky observations. Later the sensitive camera board and DAQ electronics are transported by hand to the South Pole while the remaining components are shipped separately.
Telescope construction
Our research group is the only laboratory in the United States involved in the construction of IceAct telescopes for the project. We built our first telescope in 2024 and successfully shipped it to the South Pole where it has been collecting data since deployment. We have implemented a standardized testing protocol and equipped a dedicated setup for validating the telescopes.
For the upcoming seasons we are constructing 10 additional telescopes with both fabrication and testing currently in progress. In 2024 we also acquired a new "mini South Pole'' facility (a freezer capable of reaching -80 °C) which is used for final performance testing of the telescopes under extreme conditions.
Upgrading the lens heating setup
At the South Pole the telescope window operates under extreme conditions, where temperatures can drop to around -60°C in winter. This leads to frost formation on the optical surface that degrades data quality. To mitigate this the current telescope design uses a flexible heating coil. The telescope is located on at an altitude of about 2800 m above sea level where snowfall is minimal and ice can sublimate with 10-20 temperature change. But the required support frame partially obstructs and reduces light collection efficiency. Inspired by automotive rear-window defrosting systems we explored an alternative approach using thin resistive wires across the window which reduces optical obstruction while maintaining effective de-frosting and also the power consumption. Further optimization and testing of improved heating designs are currently underway at APEX.
Upgrading the Winston cone attachment
Winston cones are used to enhance light collection onto the sensors - silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) in the telescope camera. Our telescope camera consists of 61 pixels that must each be coupled to a cone. Currently we use an optically clear adhesive for this attachment which provides good optical performance but is not convenient or reliable under extreme conditions. To address this we are exploring a more practical and robust solution. Ongoing tests at APEX are evaluating the use of optical gel as an alternative coupling method.
Basic parameter verification with 2018 simulation data
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory consists of two main components - the in-ice detector and the IceTop surface array. The in-ice detector are Digital Optical Modules (DOMs) embedded deep within the Antarctic ice which detect Cherenkov light produced by relativistic charged particles and neutrinos. At the surface IceTop stations are arranged above the in-ice strings. Each station consists of two ice-filled tanks and each tank contains two DOMs. These IceTop tanks are designed to detect secondary charged particles from extensive air showers initiated by high energy cosmic rays. When these fast moving charged particles pass through the ice in the tanks they emit Cherenkov radiation which is recorded by the DOMs. This information is used to reconstruct air shower properties including parameters of the lateral distribution function. These reconstructed parameters are then compared with results from simulation datasets. The ongoing work focuses on validating the latest simulation data set against experimental data.
Composition Data Analyses
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