Undergraduate Research & Scholarships

Tiffany Liu

CMB Instrumentation and Window Optics

The goal of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) instrumentation in the POLARBEAR polarization experiments is to improve the sensitivity of our instruments so we can more accurately measure CMB radiation with less noise. My project involves developing and assembling the window anti-reflection setup so that the window can maximally collect light. Achieving this is crucial as this is where we first manipulate light to later be analyzed. This will involve testing materials for their dielectric properties, reducing thermal emission, and designing apparatus to fabricate the window setup. The final product of my project will be the completed window, which will be deployed to the telescope in Chile.

Message To Sponsor

The opportunity to do funded research through the URAP summer stipend has meant a lot to me and has allowed me to grow in ways that I had never expected. I love working with others in a research environment that is not only supportive but welcoming of questions. Being able to do research every day in the summer was an eye-opening experience that allowed me to gain insight into day to day of a researcher and the problems that inevitably arise in experiments. Learning to problem solve and watch the process that goes into making an experiment run successfully have allowed me to grow as an aspiring physicist. Through this experience and support system, I have become even more motivated to continue learning and doing more physics research in the future. Thank you so much for the opportunity!