S.M.A.R.T. Lab

People

The S.M.A.R.T. Lab is used and staffed by professors, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

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.
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Post Doctoral Researchers
	Dr. Philip Ugorowski Dr. Ugorowski recently joined that SMART Laboratory in Fall of 2007. He is presently working the characterization of scintillation light yield and the CdZnTe Frisch ring project.
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Ph.D. Graduate Students
	Alireza Kargar Alireza Kargar is working on a project with Dr. 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
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	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.
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	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
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	Dana Cristea Dana recently joined the SMART Laboratory in May 2007. She is presently working with Mark Harrison and Amy Hageman on materials purification and annealing studies on CdZnTe crystals. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor
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	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
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	Mark Harrison BS-ME 2004, MS-NE 2005; On a research project for Dr. McGregor, Mark Harrison has designed a new multi-zone modified vertical Bridgman furnace. The furnace is used to grow CdZnTe ingots for room-temperature radiation detectors. Mark is now involved with the development of low-stress ingots of scintillators from the lanthanide halide group. He has designed and built vertical and horizontal furnaces for the project, and has grown several LaBr3 and CeBr3 scintillating crystals. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor
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	Martin Ohmes BS-EE 2003, MS-NE 2006; Martin Ohmes is working 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 has recently taken a position at ICX Technologies in Tennessee, yet plans to complete his research work at KSU soon. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor
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	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
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	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
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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
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	Chris Henderson Chris is working on the SNS pixelated neutron imaging detector codes that will be used to connect the device to the SNS infrastructure. Advisor: William (Bill) Dunn
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	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
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	Fernando Sierra Fernando Sierra is working with Walter McNeil and Steven Bellinger with the design and fabrication of perforated Si neutron detectors. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor
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	Michael Meier 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 is now working with Mark Harrison on CdZnTe annealing methods. Advisor: Douglas S. McGregor
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	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
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Undergraduates
	Adam Streit Adam is working with Steven Bellinger with etching processes and new methods of backfilling etched perforations in perforated diode structures.
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	Allen Egley Allen is presently working with Walter McNeil with the new CV/IV prober and analysis system.
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	Bethany Holste Bethany is working with Elsa Ariesanti on preparations of HgI2 materials and crystal growth.
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	Brad Lutz Brad Lutz is working on novel SiC based neutron detectors.
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	Chris Linnick Chris recently joined the SMART Laboratory and is working with Mark Harrison on new scintillating materials.
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	Christopher Frampton Christopher Frampton is assisting Elsa Ariesanti with HgI2 crystal growth and detector fabrication. Chris will be fabricating Frisch ring gamma ray spectrometers from HgI2.
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	David Bruno David Bruno is assisting Walter McNeil with the construction, fabrication and electronic testing of perforated high-efficiency semiconductor neutron detectors.
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	Jonathan Grow Jonathan is working with Steven Bellinger with etching processes and new methods of backfilling etched perforations in perforated diode structures.
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	Lisel Kraft Lisel Kraft is working with Elsa Ariesanti on HgI2 detector development and characterization.
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	Mark McCreary Mark McCreary is working with Jeff Blackwell on novel SiC neutron detectors. These detectors are being developed for deployment in high-temperature and harsh radiation environments.
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	Marty Rudolph Marty Rudolph is assisting Elsa Ariesanti with HgI2 material purification.
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	Sam Brinton Sam recently joined the SMART Laboratory and is working with Mark Harrison on new scintillating materials.
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	Shawn Cowley Shawn Cowley is assisting Walter McNeil with the fabrication of perforated semiconductor neutron detectors.
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	Tyler Krehbiel Tyler has been assisting Mark Harrison with the purification and growth furnaces.
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MS SMART Labbers
The following former students worked in the SMART Laboratory during graduate school and received MS degrees 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
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	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
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	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
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	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
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	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
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	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
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	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
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BS SMART Labbers
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.
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	Andrew Jones BS-ME 2006; Andrew Jones worked on CdZnTe devices with Alireza Kargar. He is now working on a MA in Physics.
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	Andy Fund BS-ME 2006; Andy Fund helped with the fabrication of semiconductor based radiation detectors.
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	Anita Kwok BS-EE 2006; Anita Kwok worked on electronics design and assisted with construction of electronic circuits.
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	Chris Ward BS-ME 2007; Chris Ward worked on CdZnTe devices with Alireza Kargar. He has taken a job with Black and Veatch.
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	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.
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	Justin Lowrey BS-ME 2006; Justin Lowrey assisted with general maintenance, the ICP-RIE system and detector fabrication. He is now working on stand-off IED detection as an MS graduate student in Nuclear Engineering.
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	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.
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	Kyle Loschke BS-ME 2006; Kyle Loschke assisted with general maintenance and with the ICP-RIE system. He is now working on stand-off IED detection as an MS graduate student in Nuclear Engineering.
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	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.
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	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.
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	Nathan Schuh BS-ME 2007; Nathan Schuh assisted Aaron Thompson with the electro-optic experiments on CdZnTe and Lithium Niobate.
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	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.
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	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.
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	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.
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	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.
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	Travis Tozer BS-ME 2007; Travis Tozer worked in the SMART lab in general maintenance.
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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. 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.
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	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.
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	Prof. Dale Schinstock Prof. Schinstock specializes in control systems with a focus on electromechanical systems, machine and motion controls, and servo systems. Recent work has focused on high speed, high accuracy control of machines such as laser cutting and diamond turning machines, and electromechanical servo systems for aircraft and spacecraft. Dr. Schinstock works with the SMART Lab on the crystal growth control systems.
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	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.
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	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.
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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.
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