As part of a 2-day workshop, the participants built their own small particle detectors under the guidance of Sebastian Laudage (AG Prof. Dr. Bernlochner, University of Bonn). The workshop was embedded in a varied week and was supplemented by a 3-day data analysis workshop and various shorter contributions on career planning, science communication and sustainability.
After an introduction to the simulation of electronic circuits in LTSpice, the participants first built the circuit for the detector readout on the PC and simulated signals of different particles and then assembled all the necessary parts themselves with the help of the mobile soldering sets from the electronics laboratory at the University of Bonn. The detectors were built according to the concept for the CERN S'cool Lab DIY Particle Detector and measure beta radiation, i.e. electrons and positrons, based on four diodes as detector material. Finally, the detectors were tested with sources of natural radioactivity and initial measurements were made with them.
In the workshop, the participants were able to follow the entire process of building a detector using a small, simple example and carry out each step themselves. After two successful days of building detectors, the participants drove or flew back to their home institutes in and outside Europe with their small detectors in their luggage, full of pride and inspiration.
In addition, one or the other will certainly use the self-built particle detector in the candy box in the future to communicate their own research to a non-scientific audience and the next generation of scientists.
