S.M.A.R.T. Lab

Director

Prof. Douglas McGregor
Prof. Douglas McGregor is the S.M.A.R.T. Laboratory director. He is also the principal investigator of numerous radiation detector development research projects involving the lab.

More... (97 Kb)

Research Scientists

Dr. Philip Ugorowski
Dr. Ugorowski is an assistant research professor and works closely with the graduate students. He is presently working on the characterization of scintillation light yield from experimental lanthnide halide crystals, radiation hardness of neutron detectors, and characterization of CdZnTe Frisch ring detectors.

More... (24 Kb)

Post Doctoral Fellows

Dr. Alireza Kargar
MS-ME 2005, PhD NE 2009; Dr. Alireza Kargar recently attained his Ph.D. after working on a project with Prof. McGregor to develop high-energy-resolution, room-temperature-operated CdZnTe detectors. The CdZnTe detectors will be arranged in an array for gamma ray spectroscopy and imaging. Alireza has successfully fabricated Frisch ring CdZnTe detectors with energy resolution below 1% FWHM at 662 keV. He is now investigating the effects of the device dimensions and the dielectric constant and thickness of the insulating layer in order to optimize the performance. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (120 Kb)

Associated Faculty and Staff

The following faculty and staff members operate labs and perform analysis in collaboration with the KSU S.M.A.R.T. Laboratory.

Mr. David Huddleston
Mr. Huddleston is an electronic technician in the Electronics Design Laboratory on the KSU campus. Mr. Huddleston is assisting with several SMART Laboratory projects that include neutron imaging, gamma ray imaging, reactor instrumentation, and detector development.

More... (7 Kb)

Mr. Mike Whaley
Mr. Whaley is the TRIGA Mk-II Nuclear Reactor Facility Manager. Mr. Whaley is also assisting several professors with SMART Laboratory projects that include neutron imaging, reactor instrumentation, and detector development.

More... (4 Kb)

Mr. Russell Taylor
Mr. Taylor is an electrical engineer in the Electronics Design Laboratory on the KSU campus. Mr. Taylor is assisting with several SMART Laboratory projects that include neutron imaging, gamma ray imaging, remote detector readout, reactor instrumentation, and detector development.

More... (7 Kb)

Mr. Tim Sobering
Mr. Sobering is the Director of the Electronics Design Laboratory on the KSU campus. Mr. Sobering is assisting with several SMART Laboratory projects that include neutron imaging, reactor instrumentation, and detector development.

More... (7 Kb)

Prof. Ali Abdou
Prof. Abdou recently joined the MNE faculty in March 2009. He specializes in plasma systems for etching and deposition. Prof. Abdou will be assisting with various projects regarding semiconductor processing in the SMART Laboratory.

More... (3 Kb)

Prof. Ken Shultis
Prof. Shultis serves as the Nuclear Program Director. Author and Co-author of five books, Dr. Shultis specializes in radiation shielding and interaction effects.

More... (3 Kb)

Prof. William Dunn
Prof. Dunn is the director of the Radiation Measurement Applications Laboratory. Dr. Dunn specializes in radiation measurements and applications (such as gauging, nondestructive evaluation, quantitative analysis, dosimetry, tracing), Monte Carlo methods and applications, and mathematical modeling and inverse analysis.

More... (4 Kb)

Ph.D. Graduate Students

Ben Montag
Ben Montag joined the SMART Laboratory research team in the Fall semester of 2008. Ben is presently working with Mark Harrison on crystal growth preparation of scintillators. Ben will soon take a lead role on a new project exploring Li-based compounds as neutron detectors. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (9 Kb)

Brian Cooper
BS-ME 2008; As an undergraduate, Brian Cooper worked on the unique perforated neutron detectors with Walter McNeil. Brian is now working on portable neutron dosimeters that utilize the perforated semiconductor technology on a project with Prof. Douglas McGregor and Prof. Bill Dunn. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor.

More... (7 Kb)

C.J. Solomon
BS-ME 2006, MS-NE 2007; C.J. Solomon assisted Prof. Shultis with the design of novel high-efficiency neutron detectors with Monte-Carlo computer codes. His MS work included the design of new "non-streaming" perforated detectors, which have now shown the highest efficiency ever recorded for perforated neutron detector structures at 35% thermal neutron intrinsic detection efficiency. Mr. Solomon received his MS in nuclear engineering in Spring of 2007, and he is now working on a PhD. under Prof. Shultis on Monte-Carlo modeling methods. Although Mr. Solomon is no longer directly affiliated with the SMART Laboratory, he continues to assist with studies on optimized perforated neutron detector designs. Advisor: J. Kenneth Shultis

More... (65 Kb)

Elsa Ariesanti
MS-NE 2001; Elsa Ariesanti is a Ph.D. student working under the direction of Dr. McGregor. She is presently studying the effect that various gas environments, during crystal growth, have on the quality of HgI2 crystals. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (242 Kb)

Kyle Nelson
Kyle Nelson joined the SMART Laboratory research team in Fall 2008. Kyle is learning the basics on perforated detector fabrication, with Walter McNeil and Steven Bellinger. Kyle will soon take a lead role with the production and manufacture of these unique high efficiency neutron detectors. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (9 Kb)

Steve Bellinger
BS-ME 2005; Steven Bellinger is working on an NSF funded project to develop high-spatial-resolution and high-efficiency pixelated semiconductor neutron detectors for a the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Steven has developed an etching process to produce thousands of microscopic perforations in Si substrates. He also developed a process to backfill the perforations with neutron reactive materials. These detectors have been able to yield thermal neutron detection efficiencies ranging from 18% to over 30% as compared to common He-3 gas filled detectors. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (52 Kb)

Walter McNeil
BS-ME 2005; Walter McNeil worked with Mark Harrison and Alireza Kargar to develop novel CdZnTe gamma ray spectrometers, and made the news with a simple CdZnTe detector that yielded 1.7% FWHM energy resolution at 662 keV. Walter is a co-recipient of a R&D 100 award for the Frisch Collar CdZnTe gamma ray spectrometer. Walter is now working on a Project with Dr. McGregor to produce high-efficiency thermal neutron imaging arrays for the DOE Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). The special detectors have thousand of microscopic perforations, all backfilled with neutron reactive materials, etched into high purity Si substrates. Thus far, the novel detectors have demonstrated over 30% thermal neutron detection efficiency as compared to common He-3 gas filled detector. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (125 Kb)

Masters Graduate Students

Adam Brooks
BS-EE 2006; Adam Brooks is working with Alireza Kargar on a CdZnTe Frisch collar array for gamma ray imaging and spectroscopy. Adam is designing the electronics and readout assembly. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (132 Kb)

Amy Hageman
BS-ME 1995; Amy Hageman worked with Dr. Mark Harrison on the distillation purification of Te and Zn. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (5 Kb)

Eric Patterson
Eric Patterson is presently working on a project with Dr. McGregor and Dr. Dunn to produce portable electronic dosimeter packages for high-efficiency semiconductor neutron detectors. Eric Patterson also serves as the MNE Department systems administrator. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (3 Kb)

Fernando Sierra
Fernando Sierra is presently working on projects with Steven Bellinger to construct and improve high efficiency neutron detectors. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (7 Kb)

Troy Unruh
BS-ME 2004; Troy Unruh is working on a project with Dr. McGregor to characterize semiconductor neutron detectors. He is presently contructing a neutron diffractometer system to be used as a testing station. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (33 Kb)

Undergraduates

Bethany Holste
Bethany is working with Elsa Ariesanti on preparations of HgI2 materials and crystal growth.

More... (3 Kb)

Brian McCreary
Brian McCreary is working with Ben Montag on the growth of lithium-filled semiconductors. These detectors are being developed as novel neutron detection materials.

More... (2 Kb)

Chris Linnick
Chris recently joined the SMART Laboratory and is working with Mark Harrison on new scintillating materials.

More... (8 Kb)

David Bruno
David Bruno is assisting Walter McNeil with the construction, fabrication and electronic testing of perforated high-efficiency semiconductor neutron detectors.

More... (7 Kb)

Kelley Miller
Kelley Miller is assisting Steven Bellinger with the fabrication of perforated semiconductor neutron detectors.

More... (12 Kb)

Lisel Kraft
Lisel Kraft is working with Elsa Ariesanti on HgI2 detector development and characterization.

More... (3 Kb)

Marty Rudolph
Marty Rudolph is assisting Elsa Ariesanti with HgI2 material purification.

More... (9 Kb)

Nathan Edwards
Nathan Edwards is assisting Steven Bellinger with the fabrication of perforated semiconductor neutron detectors.

More... (9 Kb)

Ryan Fronk
Ryan Fronk is assisting Steven Bellinger with the fabrication of perforated semiconductor neutron detectors.

More... (9 Kb)

Sam Brinton
Sam recently joined the SMART Laboratory and is working with Mark Harrison on new scintillating materials.

More... (2 Kb)

Steven Spalsbury
Steven Spalsbury is assisting Michael Meier with materials purification and annealing.

More... (8 Kb)

PhD SMART Lab Alumni

The following former students worked in the SMART Laboratory during graduate school and received PhD degrees as their highest degree while working on SMART Laboratory projects.

Prof. Mark Harrison
BS-ME 2004, MS-NE 2005, PhD-NE 2009; On a research project with Prof. McGregor, Prof. Mark Harrison designed multi-zone modified vertical Bridgman and Stockbarger furnaces, purification systems, and analysis systems to study the effects of aliovalent doping of lanthanide halide scintillators. He purified the starting materials and grew several LaBr3 and CeBr3 scintillating crystals with the furnaces that he designed and built. The result of the study indicated that the CeBr3 is readily hardened with select aliovalent dopants without degrading light yield. Energy resolution from the experimental crystals was measured to be 4% FWHM at 662 keV. Prof. Mark Harrison holds the distinction of being the first PhD student to graduate from the SMART Laboratory radiation detector program. Prof. Harrison is now working as an assistant professor in the Nuclear and Radiological Engineering Department at the University of Florida. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (334 Kb)

MS SMART Lab Alumni

The following former students worked in the SMART Laboratory during graduate school and received MS degrees as their highest degree while working on SMART Laboratory projects.

Aaron Thompson
MS-NE 2006; Aaron Thompson finished his Master's degree in the fall of 2006 and has taken a position in the US Army working in the field of radiation detection. Aaron studied the effects of neutron and gamma radiation on the operation of various electrooptic Pockels cells. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (128 Kb)

Blake B. Rice
MS-NE 2006; Blake Rice finished his Master's degree in the summer of 2006, and has taken a position with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Blake's master's research involved the design and fabrication of novel neutron detecting diodes which had millions of microscopic holes backfilled with neutron reactive materials. Blake did an outstanding job of developing and characterizing the deep hole etching process. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (119 Kb)

C.J. Solomon
BS-ME 2006, MS-NE 2007; C.J. Solomon assisted Prof. Shultis with the design of novel high-efficiency neutron detectors with Monte-Carlo computer codes. His MS work included the design of new "non-streaming" perforated detectors, which have now shown the highest efficiency ever recorded for perforated neutron detector structures at 35% thermal neutron intrinsic detection efficiency. Mr. Solomon received his MS in nuclear engineering in Spring of 2007, and he is now working on a PhD. under Prof. Shultis on Monte-Carlo modeling methods. Advisor: J. Kenneth Shultis

More... (65 Kb)

Chris Henderson
MS-NE 2009; Chris worked on the SNS pixelated neutron imaging detector that was designed and constructed for an NSF Conceptual Engineering Design Project. The neutron imaging detector was constructed with microstructured Si semiconductor detectors, a first of its kind. Advisor: William (Bill) Dunn

More... (6 Kb)

Holly K. Gersch
MS-NE 2002; Holly Gersch graduated with a Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering from the SMART Lab in 2002, before the lab was moved from the University of Michigan to Kansas State University. Holly was the first SMART Laboratory student, and did much to help build up the SMART Lab reputation and size. She was also a recipient of a prestigious DOE Nuclear Energy Fellowship. Holly's master's research involved radiation hardness studies of GaAs-based thermal neutron detectors, where she measured the responses of the devices to various levels of thermal and fast neutrons, and to various doses of gamma ray irradiation. She was meticulous with every detail, and an outstanding researcher. With great sadness for us all, Holly died of injuries sustained in an automobile accident on June 30, 2008. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (54 Kb)

Jeffrey D. Sanders
MS-NE 2001; Jeff Sanders was the first to graduate from the SMART Lab, having finished his Master's degree in 2001 before the lab was moved to Kansas State University. Jeff is presently employed at Argonne National Laboratory West. Jeff master's research involved the use of GaAs-based imaging arrays, where he wrote backprojection codes and made tomographic and transmission images with neutron sensitive linear arrays. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (199 Kb)

Martin Ohmes
BS-EE 2003, MS-NE 2006; Martin Ohmes worked on a research project with Dr. McGregor and Dr. Shultis developing Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors (MPFD) for use as real time power density monitors in a nuclear reactor core. The devices are miniaturized fission chambers that are intrinsically radiation hard, and can operate in a neutron flux spanning several orders of magnitude, from start-up to full power, in pulse mode. Martin took a position at ICX Technologies in Tennessee. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (159 Kb)

Michael Meier
MS-NE, 2009; Michael Meier worked in the SMART Laboratory as a summer intern for the IAESTE program while an undergraduate. He then went back to Switzerland to complete an MS degree. Michael returned to the SMART Laboratory during August 2007 and completed an MS in Nuclear Engineering by working with Dr. Mark Harrison (now at the University of Florida) on CdZnTe annealing methods, laser induced Te diffusion and purification techniques for Cd, Zn and Te. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor

More... (38 Kb)

Quaji Jahan
MS-NE 2008; Jahan worked on a project with Dr. Dunn and Dr. McGregor to develop and calibrate active neutron dosimeter badges manufactured from high-efficiency semconductor neutron detectors. Advisor: William (Bill) Dunn

More... (2 Kb)

Sabbir Ahmed
MS-NE 2006; Sabbir Ahmed, graduated from the SMART Lab with a Master's degree in the fall of 2006. His research involved the development backprojection methods to determine the real-time fuel power density in the KSU TRIGA reactor core as a function of MPFD signals. Having also acquired a Ph.D. elsewhere, Sabbir has taken a research post-doctoral position at the University of Heidelburg in Germany. Advisor: J. Kenneth Shultis

More... (61 Kb)

BS SMART Lab Alumni

The following KSU students worked in the SMART Laboratory while they were working on their BS degrees.

Adam Graebner
BS-ME 2007; Adam Graebner worked in the SMART Laboratory as an assistant to the graduate students, and helped with the installation of the Oxford ICP-RIE. Adam also helped characterize the carbon coating system. Adam's responsibilities also included materials inventory and stocking, and clean room maintence and upkeep oversight. Adam now works in Houston, Texas for Dresser in their Natural Gas Services Division.

More... (70 Kb)

Adam Streit
BS-ME 2009; Adam worked with Steven Bellinger with etching processes and new methods of backfilling etched perforations in perforated diode structures. Adam has moved on and is attending medical school in Kansas City.

More... (6 Kb)

Allen Egley
Allen worked with Walter McNeil with the CV/IV prober and analysis system.

More... (3 Kb)

Andrew Jones
BS-ME 2006; Andrew Jones worked on CdZnTe devices with Alireza Kargar. He is now working on a MA in Physics.

More... (20 Kb)

Andy Fund
BS-ME 2006; Andy Fund helped with the fabrication of semiconductor based radiation detectors.

More... (38 Kb)

Anita Kwok
BS-EE 2006; Anita Kwok worked on electronics design and assisted with construction of electronic circuits.

More...

Brad Lutz
Brad Lutz worked on novel SiC based neutron detectors.

More... (16 Kb)

Chris Ward
BS-ME 2007; Chris Ward worked on CdZnTe devices with Alireza Kargar. He has taken a job with Black and Veatch.

More... (20 Kb)

Christopher Frampton
Christopher Frampton worked with Elsa Ariesanti with HgI2 crystal growth and detector fabrication. Chris also helped to fabricate gamma ray spectrometers from HgI2.

More... (7 Kb)

Jaspen Patenaude
BS-ME 2006; Jaspen Patenaude assisted Mark Harrison with the construction of multizone funaces for materials purification and LaBr3 crystal growth. Jaspen has continued on with graduate school, and is now studying for an MS in mechanical engineering.

More... (4 Kb)

Jonathan Grow
Jonathan is worked with Steven Bellinger with etching processes and methods of backfilling etched perforations in perforated diode structures.

More... (26 Kb)

Justin Lowrey
BS-ME 2006; Justin Lowrey assisted with general maintenance, the ICP-RIE system and detector fabrication. He went on to earn an MS in nuclear engineering, and now works at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant.

More... (6 Kb)

Kyle Kohman
BS-ME 2008; Kyle worked with Walter McNeil on the unique perforated neutron detectors pioneered in the SMART Laboratory. Having graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in Spring 2008, he has taken a position with ExxonMobil Gas & Power Marketing.

More... (4 Kb)

Kyle Loschke
BS-ME 2006; Kyle Loschke assisted with general maintenance and with the ICP-RIE system. He went on to earn an MS in Nuclear Engineering.

More... (6 Kb)

Mark McCreary
BS-ME 2009; Mark McCreary worked with Walter McNeil and Steven Bellinger on high efficiency microstructured neutron detectors. These detectors are presently the highest efficiency semiconductor neutron detectors available.

More... (6 Kb)

Melanie Elazegui
BS-ME 2007; Melanie worked with Walter McNeil on the testing and characterization of perforated semiconductor neutron detecting diodes. She graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 2007, and is presently working in the Laser and Optics Department at the Kansas City Plant FM&T in Kansas City, Missouri.

More... (60 Kb)

Nathan Fritz
BS-ME 2007; Nathan Fritz worked on materials purification of Cd, Zn, Te and Mn with Amy Hageman. Having graduated in Spring 2007, he moved to Georgia Tech to attend gradaute school.

More... (5 Kb)

Nathan Schuh
BS-ME 2007; Nathan Schuh assisted Aaron Thompson with the electro-optic experiments on CdZnTe and Lithium Niobate.

More... (2 Kb)

Rans Lowell
BS-ME 2008; Rans Lowell worked with Alireza Kargar with the fabrication and testing of CdZnTe Frisch collar high-resolution gamma ray spectrometers.

More... (116 Kb)

Ryan White
BS-ME 2008; Ryan White worked with Mark Harrison and Amy Hageman with the construction and characterization of several crystal growth and purification furnaces.

More... (6 Kb)

Rylan Ortiz
BS-ME 2007; Rylan Ortiz assisted Martin Ohmes with the development of Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors (MPFD). Rylan finished his BS in Mechanical Engineering in summer 2007.

More... (113 Kb)

Sarah Appelhans
BS-ME 2007; Sarah Applehans assisted Elsa Ariesanti with HgI2 crystal growth. Sarah helped retrofit 30 horizontal platelet growth furnaces with computerized controllers, and she assisted with the purification of HgI2 starting material.

More... (105 Kb)

Shawn Cowley
BS-EE 2009; Shawn Cowley assisted Walter McNeil with the fabrication of perforated semiconductor neutron detectors.

More... (7 Kb)

Travis Tozer
BS-ME 2007; Travis Tozer worked in the SMART lab in general maintenance.

More... (38 Kb)

Tyler Krehbiel
BS-EE 2009; Tyler assisted Mark Harrison to configure many of the purification and growth furnaces. He wrote software to control the thermal environment and operate the motion controls. Tyler now works in Austin, Texas for National Instruments.

More... (64 Kb)

Other

Soitheamh - the lab rat
No research lab is complete without a lab rat, and here is ours! For those who are interested, the name "Soitheamh" is Gaelic for "gentle and tame", which described her perfectly.

More... (144 Kb)