The Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory to further their participation in the development and production of advanced technologies for the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment. DUNE is an international megascience experiment that will use enormous particle detectors to study the behavior of neutrinos, which might indicate why we live in a matter-dominated universe.
The MOU signed by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Universities, Juan Cruz Cigudosa, and the Director of Fermilab, Lia Merminga, formalizes the shared interest between both parties to work together on the construction of the DUNE detectors.
“This Memorandum of Understanding illuminates and expands on Spain’s long-time partnership with Fermilab in working together on high-energy physics research. Their neutrino physics work and contributions to DUNE are valuable to the project’s physics program and the necessary analysis tools using the latest software technologies,” said the Director of Fermilab, Lia Merminga.
As a founding member of the international collaboration, Spain has participated in DUNE since its inception in 2015 through six research groups from the Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT), the Institute of Corpuscular Physics (CSIC-UV), the Institute of Theoretical Physics (CSIC-UAM), the Galician Institute of High Energy Physics (IGFAE-USC), the University of Granada and the University of Vigo.
As part of the MOU, Spain’s contributions to DUNE include the light-detection and temperature-monitoring system for the CERN prototypes and the massive liquid argon detectors that will be installed deep underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota.
Additional contributions from Spain include the coordination of the DUNE physics program, technical leadership of the large liquid argon detectors as well as the coordination of DUNE’s Phase II detector research and development. They also lead key groups related to light-detection and temperature-monitoring systems, the physics of low-energy neutrinos and physics beyond the standard model.
“The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the DUNE experiment is an important step for Spain, strengthening its role in particle physics and reaffirming bilateral relations with the United States,” said Juan Cruz Cigudosa, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Universities. “This agreement recognizes the valuable contributions of Spanish researchers and institutions to DUNE and reinforces a shared commitment to international scientific collaboration, encouraging the exchange of knowledge and resources in this ambitious project.”
DUNE will study neutrino oscillation, a phenomenon in which a neutrino’s property, called flavor, changes as it travels. DUNE will probe this oscillation by shooting a beam of neutrinos 1,300 kilometers straight through the earth, from Fermilab’s accelerator complex in Illinois, through the Near Detector to the Far Detectors located a mile underground at SURF in South Dakota.
DUNE will be the world’s most comprehensive experiment to study neutrinos: tiny, lightweight particles that permeate the universe but rarely interact with anything. The experiment will seek to determine whether neutrinos could be the reason the universe is made of matter, look for neutrinos emitted from exploding stars to learn more about the formation of neutron stars and black holes and watch for a rare subatomic phenomenon that could explain the unification of nature’s forces.
The DUNE collaboration represents scientists from dozens of countries around the world who will contribute to the construction of detectors at two sites in the United States: one at Fermilab, the host lab for DUNE, 40 miles west of Chicago, and the other at SURF in Lead, South Dakota.
The science of DUNE is a global endeavor, and the partnership with funding agencies, scientists and engineers from around the world make it the first truly international megascience experiment to be hosted on U.S. soil. Additionally, hundreds of students from around the world will begin their careers in science, engineering and computing on DUNE.
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is going live on Wednesday, Oct. 30, to discuss everything about dark matter! Join Fermilab physicists at 11 a.m. Central Time through YouTube for a special Dark Matter Day event, when they will answer participants’ questions. Set a reminder for the event here.
Ordinary matter — like planets, stars and galaxies — makes up just 15% of the total matter in the universe; the other 85% is dark matter. While observing galaxies and galaxy clusters, researchers realized that the motion of stars within galaxies couldn’t be explained solely by the amount of visible matter. Some other, invisible mass was exerting a gravitational pull.
Fermilab’s live Q&A on Oct. 30 with dark matter scientists will cover all you wanted to know about this cosmic mystery.
Decades later, dark matter is still largely a mystery. Strong evidence points to dark matter being a new type of particle or particles. Scientists are searching for several dark matter candidates, including weakly interacting massive particles, called WIMPs, and axions. It’s possible that more than one unknown particle is responsible for dark matter and that an entire dark sector of new particles exists.
In the early 1980s, Fermilab scientists were some of the first to bring together the worlds of astrophysics and particle physics into the new field of particle astrophysics. Today, Fermilab plays a key role in several experiments searching for dark matter.
Along with the discussion on YouTube, Fermilab is also hosting an in-person event for Dark Matter Day.
The Education and Public Engagement Office is hosting a Dark Matter Day trivia event at Smarty Pants Café, 817 N. Randall Rd., in Batavia, starting at 6 p.m. CT on Oct. 28. Participantswill be able to play three rounds of Fermilab and dark matter-themed trivia.
Since 2017, more than 350 global, regional and local events have been held on and around Oct. 31 to celebrate the cosmic mystery that is dark matter. For more Dark Matter Day events visit Interaction.org.
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.
What do you do at Fermilab?
I’m an associate scientist and the group leader of the Materials for Quantum Devices group within the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Division at Fermilab, part of the Department of Energy’s National Quantum Information Science Research Center — SQMS. The research group primarily focuses on improving the length of time information can be effectively stored and processed in a superconducting quantum device. Dramatically extending this coherence time is critical for realizing next-generation quantum computers and sensors.
Akshay Murthy is an associate scientist and group leader at SQMS, as well as an avid runner.
Our group is composed of graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and engineers. We collaborate to improve coherence times by applying a variety of advanced materials characterization tools — electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry — to understand the physical processes that lead to the loss of quantum information, called decoherence. We aim to answer questions such as:
- Are the surfaces of these materials ordered or disordered? What about the interfaces between materials?
- What impurities are present in our materials? Where are they located?
- What types of defects are present in these devices? How do they respond during device operation at cryogenic temperatures?
Using these techniques as part of a materials-oriented approach, the SQMS research team has recently achieved leading coherence times in transmon qubits.
I’m also the leader for the materials for 2D and 3D quantum devices focus area in the SQMS center, which consists of over 70 researchers across 11 partner institutions focused on fabrication of quantum devices, as well as characterization of quantum devices using structural, chemical, superconducting and microwave-based methods. In this role I prioritize, manage and evaluate activities to ensure SQMS achieves its research goals in a timely fashion. I am extremely passionate about advancing the performance of superconducting qubit platforms, with my ultimate goal being to help deliver a transformational new paradigm in computing. Solving critical scientific and engineering challenges in this field requires the type of coordinated ecosystem involving academic institutions, national labs and industry partners, which we have created as part of SQMS. I am proud of the advances our center has already demonstrated and expect many exciting new achievements in the years to come.
How long have you worked at Fermilab?
I have worked at Fermilab for almost four years now. I was initially hired as a postdoctoral research associate in the SQMS division before being promoted to associate scientist. Throughout this time, I have had the wonderful opportunity to work alongside a variety of world-leading scientists and engineers, both at Fermilab and at SQMS partner institutions, in a wide variety of areas, including accelerator physics, quantum physics, materials science, microwave engineering, nanofabrication and beyond. Prior to joining Fermilab, I completed my Ph.D. at Northwestern University in the group of Professor Vinayak Dravid and worked in industry.
What is the most challenging part of your work?
Understanding what limits the lifetime of quantum states in superconducting qubits is without question what I find to be the most challenging part of my work. These quantum devices are exceedingly sensitive and understanding the complex interplay between defects, impurities, interfaces and surfaces on various performance metrics presents an imposing challenge daily.
What is the most rewarding part of the work you do at Fermilab?
Developing a hypothesis and testing it through a series of systematic experiments is the most rewarding part of my work. No matter whether the original hypothesis is supported by the investigation or whether it requires refining, every experiment serves as an opportunity to learn something new. It’s this opportunity to continuously acquire new knowledge that excites me to come to work every day.
What do you do for fun outside of work?
I’m an avid long-distance runner and have run over a dozen half marathon and marathon races, including the Chicago Marathon and Boston Marathon. You can usually find me Saturday mornings running along the lakefront or on the Illinois Prairie Path. I enjoy experiencing the beauty and sounds that nature has to offer while simultaneously pushing my body to its limits.
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.