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Physics

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Theses/Dissertations

2024

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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Improving The Scalability Of Neural Network Surface Code Decoders, Kevin Wu May 2024

Improving The Scalability Of Neural Network Surface Code Decoders, Kevin Wu

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Quantum computers have recently gained significant recognition due to their ability to solve problems intractable to classical computers. However, due to difficulties in building actual quantum computers, they have large error rates. Thus, advancements in quantum error correction are urgently needed to improve both their reliability and scalability. Here, we first present a type of topological quantum error correction code called the surface code, and we discuss recent developments and challenges of creating neural network decoders for surface codes. In particular, the amount of training data needed to reach the performance of algorithmic decoders grows exponentially with the size of …


Modeling The Neutral Densities Of Sparc Using A Python Version Of Kn1d, Gwendolyn R. Galleher May 2024

Modeling The Neutral Densities Of Sparc Using A Python Version Of Kn1d, Gwendolyn R. Galleher

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Currently, neutral recycling is a crucial contributor to fueling the plasma within tokamaks. However, Commonwealth Fusion System’s SPARC Tokamak is expected to be more opaque to neutrals. Thus, we anticipate that the role of neutral recycling in fueling will decrease. Since SPARC is predicted to have a groundbreaking fusion power gain ratio of Q ≈ 10, we must have a concrete understanding of the opacity
and whether or not alternative fueling practices must be included. To develop said understanding, we produced neutral density profiles via KN1DPy, a 1D kinetic neutral transport code for atomic and molecular hydrogen in an ionizing …


Dimensionlessly Comparing Hydrogen And Helium Plasmas At Lapd, Lela Creamer May 2024

Dimensionlessly Comparing Hydrogen And Helium Plasmas At Lapd, Lela Creamer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This project compares the hydrogen and helium gas puff plasmas created at the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) using dimensionless numbers to determine the extent to which the turbulence pattern can be explained by plasma physics. Since turbu- lence tends to dissipate energy and particles in a plasma, it can cause problems for fusion reactors by reducing their efficiency. With a better understanding of turbu- lence’s causes and behavior, some of this energy loss could potentially be avoided. In recent experiments at LAPD, an unexpectedly high amount of turbulence was de- tected when helium was used to create the plasma, which …


Identifying Transitions In Plasma With Topological Data Analysis Of Noisy Turbulence, Julius Kiewel May 2024

Identifying Transitions In Plasma With Topological Data Analysis Of Noisy Turbulence, Julius Kiewel

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cross-field transport and heat loss in a magnetically confined plasma is determined by turbulence driven by perpendicular (to the magnetic field) pressure gradients. The heat losses from turbulence can make it difficult to maintain the energy density required to reach and maintain the conditions necessary for fusion. Self-organization of turbulence into intermediate scale so-called zonal flows can reduce the radial heat losses, however identifying when the transition occurs and any precursors to the transition is still a challenge. Topological Data Analysis (TDA) is a mathematical method which is used to extract topological features from point cloud and digital data to …