William Koehler
Graduate student
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone:
Ph.D. Candidate
Will’s research focuses on the development of TlBr, an alternative semiconductor for room-temperature gamma-ray spectroscopy. TlBr has a high stopping power and large bandgap so can operate at room temperature with low thermal noise. It can achieve < 1% FWHM at 662 keV but these results are limited to stable operation at -20C. TlBr devices catastrophically fail after days to months of room-temperature operation; this failure is referred to as polarization. Will is attempting to understand the underlying mechanism causing room-temperature polarization and improve spectroscopy and imaging at -20C by implementing advanced data analysis algorithms. Additionally, he is part of the effort to build a portable single detector system that can operate at -20C. He enjoys working with a relatively new material because it presents unique problems and challenges.
Education
Bachelors of Arts in Physics, Kenyon College, 2011
Internships and Jobs
Los Alamos National Laboratories, Summers 2009-2011
Project: Determination of Pu content in spent nuclear fuel with a focus on delayed neutron techniques