Skip to main content

Web Content Display Web Content Display

SOLARIS centre

Web Content Display Web Content Display

Virtual tour

Grafika symbolizująca link do wirtualnego spaceru

Web Content Display Web Content Display

Master Thesis Opportunities

Scientific supervisor: Paweł Nita, SOLARIS contact: Anna Mandziak
Short description: The proposed master's thesis will be divided into two parts. The first part will be focused on research on the DEMETER beamline at the photoemission electron microscope PEEM end-station. The candidate will be obliged to learn the basics of the PEEM microscope, sample preparation in the UHV environment and perform measurements by using PEEM and related techniques in collaboration with beamline scientist. The main part of the work will be devoted to the development of software for processing, analysis and visualization of experimental data (in Python). The main goal is to implement advanced image processing algorithms to optimize the data analysis process. The proposed topic combines issues related to modern solid state physics / materials engineering and broadly understood data science.

Scientific supervisor: Paweł Korecki, SOLARIS contact: Katarzyna Sowa
Short descriptionThe aim of the proposed MSc thesis is to measure the spatial end energetic parameters of the X-ray beam generated at the beamline PolyX that is under construction at National Synchrotron Radiation Center SOLARIS in Kraków.
The candidate will join the activities of an interdisciplinary team of physicists, computer scientists and engineers at SOLARIS and will have the possibility to join the commissioning and first experimental operation of the new beamline PolyX. The PhD program will be realized at the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Science in the Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science (Jagiellonian University). The thesis will be realized at Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Marcin Zając
Short description: One of the basic paths of signal detection for x-ray absorption experiments is the measurement of the sample current (Total electron yield, TEY). It is used for conductive samples. For samples with reduced electrical conductivity, the intensity of energy-specific electrons emitted from the sample (partial electron yield, PEY) can be measured at different retarding voltage influencing detected electron energy. Such steps improve signal sensitivity for certain element.
The work will consist in designing, purchasing, installing and testing of the electron detection system at the experimental chamber of the beamline with the use of synchrotron radiation.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Ewa Partyka-Jankowska
Short description: Phelix beamline is equipped with a VLEED spin detector enabling determination of all three components of photoelectron spin. The principle of operation is based on the exchange interaction between low energy photoemitted electrons and magnetically ordered surfaces in LEED-like geometry. In our system, the passivated iron film on a W(100) is exploited as a scattering target for electrons. Owing to the passivation procedure, the sensitivity of the Fe layer to the contaminations from the residual gases is reduced but not zero. The purpose of this project is to investigate the spin asymmetry detection efficiency of the VLEED detector under specific UHV conditions as a function of time and thus to determine the target operating time at which its efficiency under the influence of residual gas adsorption is not significantly degraded. This knowledge is crucial for the PHELIX beamline as it facilitates the preparation for the users' spin experiments and consequently ensures high quality results.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Karolina Kosowska
Short description: Semicrystalline polymers are widely used in various fields of industry and medicine. Aliphatic polyesters such as poly-L-lactide (PLLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), or polycaprolactone (PCL) crystallize into various forms, including spherulites, under isothermal conditions. Linearly polarized IR microspectroscopy is often used in studies of highly oriented materials that exhibit linear dichroism. The introduction of four polarization angles allows us to obtain spatial information about the orientation of macromolecules. The attenuated total reflection (ATR) method is used when the material cannot be tested in transmission or reflection mode. It is especially useful in material testing because the sample does not require time-consuming preparation. The work aims to develop and optimize the methodology of polymer studies using the ATR method with four polarizations and mathematical analysis of spectroscopic data in MATLAB to obtain spatial information about the orientation of macromolecules and visualization. The studies include the crystallization process of polyesters characterized by the presence of side functional groups, which give oscillation bands with high intensity in spectroscopic spectra.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Karolina Kosowska
Short description: Mixtures of polymers, called blends, are often used to improve the physical and processing properties of materials. Effects such as partial crystallization and phase separation in blend result in a material with properties different from the single polymer. The aim of the work is to investigate the effect of introducing a second polymer into the system on the orientation of macromolecules. The first step of the work is obtaining thin polymeric films of one polymer and blends for FTIR microspectroscopy imaging. Linearly polarized IR microspectroscopy is often used in studies of highly oriented materials that exhibit linear dichroism. The next step is method optimization of polymer and blends studies using transmission mode with four polarizations and mathematical analysis of spectroscopic data in MATLAB to obtain information about the influence of polymer mixing on the change of the spatial orientation of macromolecules in partially crystalline polymer films.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Tomasz Sobol
Short description: It feels, that introducing the metal wire into the plasma and measuring its current as a function of variable voltage is not a sophisticated technique and it is easy to realize. However, the Langmuir probe,
described above, is an absolutely necessary diagnostic device to characterize generated plasma in the system. Due to its simplicity, the Langmuir probe is a very important and widely used scientific and diagnostic technique in plasma-based industry. The aim of the master’s thesis will be to project and make a Langmuir probe compatible with the vacuum system of the plasma cleaning station operating in the National Synchrotron Radiation Center SOLARIS. Student will also be involved in project part of the Langmuir probe power supply and the study of generated plasma properties.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Natalia Olszowska
Short description: As part of the work, the student should become familiar with the LEED technique and measurement software. As part of the work, the student is to optimize the parameters of the software and update the software. As part of the work, the student will measure and analyze the crystal structure of graphene-like materials such as GaS, PtS2, asenene, and others. Comparison LEED diffraction pattern of 2D crystals with 3D crystals with and without superstructure or surface reconstruction. In addition, it will measure and analyze the I (V) curves for the tested materials.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Natalia Olszowska
Short description: Measurement of the band structure of Weyl type II semimetal (eg NbAs2) and its modification by applying adatoms to the surface of the material. The applied materials will be arsenic and alkali metals. Alkali metals will be deposited to investigate the conductivity bands. Arsenic atoms will be deposited to form an arsenic layer on an As-terminated NbAs2 substrate. The data analysis should reveal the volume - valence and conduction bands, the surface termination-dependent bands, and the 2D bands of the arsenic layer.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Natalia Olszowska
Short description: The main purpose of the work will be to prepare the targets in spin filters - iron oxide layers on tungsten, their optimization, and measurement of the Sherman function and reflection coefficient. Optimization measurements will be performed on reference samples with observed Rashba splitting, e.g. on the Au surface (111).

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Anna Mandziak
Short description: The source of synchrotron radiation at the DEMETER beamline is an elliptically polarized undulator EPU. This device produces synchrotron radiation of variable polarization: linear, horizontal and vertical, circular and elliptical. The latter are used to study magnetic materials, in particular ferro- and ferrimagnetic ones. In order to fully characterize studied material, it is necessary to know the degree of polarization of the beam produced by the undulator. One of the methods of measuring the radiation polarization coming from undulator source is to use samples with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, i.e. samples in which the magnetization will be directed perpendicular to the surface plane (out of plane). The aim of the thesis is to prepare, by means of the molecular beam epitaxy MBE, thin magnetic layers, e. g. Co-Gd (multilayers) on a silicon nitride membrane. These layers will be then examined in scanning transmission x-ray microscope STXM. Detailed characterization, i.e. measurement of NEXAFS absorption spectra and magnetic circular dichroism XMCD, will be used to determine the polarization of the beam from the EPU undulator.

Scientific supervisor: Paweł Nita, SOLARIS contact: Krzysztof Matlak
Short description: Ptychography is one of the operating modes of the STXM X-ray scanning transmission microscope. It consists in registering a series of diffraction images from individual (consecutive) points on the sample, which then undergoes the reconstruction process. From the matrix of diffraction images, using dedicated algorithms, the image of the sample is recreated in real space. This method allows obtaining spectral analysis with much better spatial resolution than with standard x-ray measurements. The master's thesis consists of preparing the system for measurements using the ptychography mode (sample, camera) at the STXM station of the DEMETER line in the SOLARIS synchrotron. The main goal of the work is to optimize the process of obtaining images of the tested samples from the collected diffraction data by improving the flow of information between individual elements of the data acquisition system (microscope, camera, computer), proper preparation of input data for reconstruction by appropriate determination of the required parameters, construction of an integrated system (environment) managing the measurement process. The integral part of the thesis will be participating in the ptychography measurements and reconstruction conducted at the DEMETER beamline.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Barbara Wolanin
Short description: The DEMETER experimental line, consists of two branches, ended with two X-ray microscopes: PEEM photoemission electron microscope and STXM scanning transmission X-ray microscope. The source of synchrotron radiation is an elliptically polarized undulator (EPU), which provides variable polarization of the synchrotron light: linear horizontal and vertical, circular and elliptical. Due to the coexistence of two branches, the line contains few optical elements, that have an impact on the beam intensity and energy resolution observed at end-stations. The aim of the master's thesis is to simulate soft X-ray beamline using the available x-ray tracing software. In practice, this will mean the analysis of the influence of individual components, whether originating from the source or optical elements, on individual properties of the experimental line for e.g. on the photon flux reaching the sample and the resolving power. The comparison of the theoretical calculations with the actual parameters of the line will be used to optimize the experimental line.

Scientific supervisor: Adriana Wawrzyniak, SOLARIS contact: Adriana Wawrzyniak
Short description: Insertion devices (IDs) have an impact on the beam optics through focusing which results in a tune shift and beta-beating. In order to correct for these effects proper optics matching has to be performed and the working point needs to be restored. At Solaris storage ring 3 insertion devices were installed for UARPES, PHELIX and XMCD beamlines and new instertion devices as i.e. wigglers, wavelength shifters are planned to be used. He impact of existing insertion devices on electron beam optics can both be measured and simulated. Moreover one can optimise the lattice with the insertion devices by using i.e elegant code. Within this work simulation with various insertion devices installed to the lattice will be done. The work could be extended to real measurements – verifying the impact of IDs on linear optics.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Adriana Wawrzyniak
Short description: Particle accelerators are devices used to accelerate elementary particles, or ions, to speeds close to the speed of light by the effect of an electric field on charged particles. One type of accelerator is a linear accelerator (linac). In the Solaris Synchrotron, the linac consists of an electron gun and six structures accelerating electrons to 99.99996% of the speed of light. For the proper operation of the entire system, it is required to maintain a constant and not too high temperature of components thanks to HVAC systems, one of the parts of which is a water system operating in a closed circuit with a non-conductive liquid. The liquid flow must be continuously monitored with the use of flow meters and logged into the system in order to maintain the best operating parameters of the system. The aim of the work for the candidate is to select the best electronic flow measurement system for the existing circulation, after analyzing the available solutions and proposing an appropriate system that logs the measurement results.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Adriana Wawrzyniak
Short description: Particle accelerators are devices used to accelerate elementary particles, or ions, to speeds close to the speed of light by the effect of an electric field on charged particles. One type of accelerator is a linear accelerator (linac). In the Solaris Synchrotron, the linac consists of an electron gun and six structures that accelerate electrons to 99.99996% of the speed of light. The electric field is generated in resonance cavities powered by klystrons operating in the "S" - 3 GHz band. For the proper operation of the system, the parameters of the RF wave generated from klystrons, such as forwarded and reflected power, are important. Due to the impulse nature of the operation of klystrons, the task is reduced to the measurement of the impulse power with a duration of a few μs and a power of several dozen MW.
By using logarithmic detectors, we obtain high measurement dynamics, sufficient accuracy, even without calibration, and the simplicity of the measurement path. The candidate's tasks will include developing a schematic, designing PCB, writing a program for a microcontroller and power up the device.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Jarosław Wiechecki
Short description: Due to the development of the Magnet and Power Supply Section and the prospect of new research projects, there is a need to build a wire winder. The task of the master's student will be to create a conceptual and executive design of a device that will precisely wind a wire of a specific cross-section onto a hoof of a defined shape. The design must be universal enough to allow the system parameters to be changed in the future to be able to produce coils with different parameters. The quality of the project will be confirmed by theoretical calculations.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Jarosław Wiechecki 
Short description: Due to the emergence of new research lines, to ensure the safety of the vacuum system, it is important to determine the impact of the photon beam on individual components of the system. The analysis is limited to the most critical area: the straight section and the curving magnet. The task of the master's student will be to prepare the tool in the CAD model of the bending magnet and the straight section in such a way that it is possible to automatically plot the synchrotron radiation cone based on the given parameters and observe the influence of its changes depending on the emerging vacuum components forming the photon beam. The task should be performed in such a way as to be able to plot the radiation for different points of the electron trajectory, considering the different energy distributions.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Jarosław Wiechecki
Short description: The correct operation of the synchrotron Solaris depends on many factors, including the correct positioning of the magnets in the storage ring. Any disturbances in the beam movement trajectory may have a significant impact on the stable operation of the synchrotron, and thus the photon beam delivered to users. The task of the master's student will be theoretical analysis, simulations, measurement of deformation and development of the results of the influence of single achromat deformation on the beam trajectory.

Scientific supervisor: to be determinated, SOLARIS contact: Jarosław Wiechecki
Short description: The Solaris synchrotron is a unique research infrastructure. Due to the multitude of subsystems and the increased risk of failures, it is very important to create a system that allows counteracting, preventing, or predicting failures in strategic groups of devices. The task of the master's student will be to analyze selected groups of devices in terms of controlling the operating parameters of devices, selection of additional sensors supporting diagnostics, and developing an algorithm for forecasting their service life based on the readouts of signals from sensors available in the system and propose a diagnostic system analyzing the collected data.

Scientific supervisor: to be determinated, SOLARIS contact: Jarosław Wiechecki
Short description: The extensive architecture of the devices at Solaris makes it much more difficult to detect potential failures in advance. One such group of high-risk devices are power supplies for the magnets of the storage ring. The task of the master's student will be to analyze the operation of magnet power supplies, identify potentially critical places that may be damaged and develop a system for data acquisition of these areas. The designed system should be scalable and universal, i.e., the measurement system must be able to connect additional signals and it must be universal and intuitive to install in other, similar power supplies.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Agnieszka Cudek
Short description: The National Synchrotron Radiation Centre is a unique research facility in the country, therefore the promotional activities undertaken go beyond the framework of standard activities. Although NSRC SOLARIS operates under the auspices of the Jagiellonian University, the unit undertakes independent activities in order to achieve its strategic objectives. The profile of the research facility and the profile of the target group (audience) determine the strategy undertaken by NSRC SOLARIS to build a recognizable brand. The aim of the thesis will be to identify and describe the actions taken, analyze their effectiveness and develop further strategies for the future.

Scientific supervisor: to be determined, SOLARIS contact: Agnieszka Cudek
Short description: National Synchrotron Radiation Centre SOLARIS is a unique research unit, whose main strategic objectives are based on providing access to research infrastructure for researchers. At the same time, equally important are the science popularization activities and building the awareness of the synchrotron presence in Poland. Each year the employees of the Center undertake a number of activities opening its doors to the general public. The aim of the diploma thesis will be to analyze the actions taken, together with the construction of a "persona" of the recipients of these actions, to assess the effectiveness of promotional campaigns, and to outline a strategy for the coming years to reach the widest possible audience.

Web Content Display Web Content Display