How big is the proton radius really? And are there particle states that challenge our conventional understanding of hadrons? These are just some of the questions in fundamental physics that we explore in our research group – in two ways: through the precision analysis of experimental data and through the development of innovative target technologies for accelerator experiments.
Data analysis: Insights into the world of hadrons
A key focus of our research is data analysis as part of the BESIII (Beijing Spectrometer III) experiment in Beijing. The spectrometer there records electron-positron collisions (matter-antimatter experiments) at high energies. We analyse this data to further our understanding of hadron spectroscopy and to search for exotic particle states. In doing so, we investigate the decays of mesons and baryons, determine their properties with high precision, and check whether there are states that do not fit into the well-known quark-antiquark model. The combination of large data sets and sophisticated analysis methods enables us to identify even rare processes and gain new insights into the strong interaction.
Target development: The basis for new experiments
The second focus of our work lies in the development and operation of in-house cryogenic jet targets. These are used at various accelerator facilities: at the future MESA accelerator in Mainz for the MAGIX experiment, at the GSI accelerator facility in Darmstadt for the KOALA experiment, and, in future, at the planned FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) accelerator facility in Darmstadt for the PANDA experiment.
We are developing a wide range of target technologies. These include: cluster-jet, gas-jet, droplet and filament targets. Each type of target offers specific advantages in terms of density, width and stability, enabling bespoke solutions tailored to the requirements of the respective experiments. Our research group is a world leader in the development of high-performance jet targets.
Completed experiments: We have also been involved in numerous experiments in the past. The following pages provide an overview of our previous projects.