Carrie Davis
Major: Physics
Location: University of Notre Dame
Carrie worked with Professor Brodeur to tune and test an experimental setup of a radio-frequency (RF) carpet, which will be used to transport ions from a gas cell filled with helium to a double funnel system. The RF carpet did not produce results, however, and the two hypothesized different reasons it may not have functioned properly. Once the RF carpet
is functioning, it can be tested and further improved for eventual use in the St. Benedict project, which will lead to a more precise determination of the unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix, potentially leading to an understanding of insufficiencies of the Standard Model.
Carrie says, "I most enjoyed the satisfaction of not knowing where problems are coming from and working towards a solution. This was also the most challenging part, because we still are not completely sure what the main issue with the RF carpet was once it was put into the chamber. The troubleshooting and trial and error process, though frustrating at times, got me to think and better understand how the experiment worked."