Digital Commons Network^™

Utilizing Computer Modeling To Optimize Electric Fields Within Xenon Time Projection Chambers, Miles Meloni

Honors Theses

XENONnT is a physics experiment designed with the goal of detecting dark matter particles. The detector is a time projection chamber; a series of charged electrodes creates an electric field, surrounding a central body filled with liquid and gaseous xenon. Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), positioned on either end of the chamber, serve to detect light signals. We seek to minimize the root mean square of the electric field norms experienced by the PMTs. This quantity corresponds to the variance in the electric field observed by the PMTs. Establishing a consistent electric field is important to maintaining these sensitive components. The electric …

Bursty Bulk Flows: The What, The Why, And Their Impacts On The Earth, Fariza Tanvir

2026 Spring Honors Capstones Projects

Due to solar wind-magnetosphere interactions, the Earth's magnetic field lines stretch into a long, comet-shaped magnetotail, which extends thousands of miles away from the Earth. Bursty Bulk Flows (BBFs) are transient, high-speed ion bulk flows in the magnetotail that play an essential role in energy and mass transport. Characterized by their short-lived duration, they are related to magnetic reconnection events. This investigation focuses on being able to identify BBFs using the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) probes, a mission consisting of four probes arranged in a tetrahedron to study the Earth’s magnetosphere. We examine parameters such as energy spectra, spin bulk velocity, …

I Think, Therefore I Can: Self-Efficacy, Self-Regulation, And Sense Of Belonging In Introductory Physics, Danielle Christine Maldonado

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cognitive and affective beliefs in physics classrooms are important indicators of student success beyond traditional measurements of academic performance. This body of work explores major beliefs and processes, including self-efficacy, self-regulation, and sense of belonging, as they relate to academic achievement among introductory undergraduate physics students. First, this dissertation explores the development of physics self-efficacy and physics sense of belonging, two highly correlated variables. This work identifies unique sources of physics self-efficacy and sense of belonging development from current and prior academic experiences, personality factors, and demographic variables. Then, relationships between early- semester self-efficacy and sense of belonging, mid-semester …

Enhanced Hydrophilicity And Self-Cleaning Properties Of Tio₂ Thin Films On Glass For Photovoltaic Applications: Influence Of Precursor Concentration And Light Irradiation, Fatma Refaat, Hany Hashem, Mohamed Mahmoud Gouda, Ibrahim Ahmed, Khaled Abdelwahed, Ahmed Bakr El Basaty

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

This study investigates the modification of glass substrates with TiO₂ thin films to enhance surface hydrophilicity and self-cleaning behavior. The films were deposited on glass by spin coating using different precursor concentrations, followed by thermal treatment. Structural and optical properties were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV–Vis spectroscopy, while surface wettability was evaluated through water contact angle measurements. XRD confirmed the formation of pure anatase TiO₂, while FTIR spectra verified the presence of Ti–O and Ti–O–Ti bonds. Wettability analysis showed that films prepared with the lowest precursor concentration exhibited the …

Nuclear Binding Energy Prediction For Some Odd-Mass Number Nuclei By Artificial Neural Network (Ann), Ruya H. Ibrahim, Akram Mohammed Ali

Baghdad Science Journal

Machine learning models called artificial neural networks (ANNs) are widely used in many fields and real-world applications. The parameter vector that forms the basis of these models needs to be evaluated computationally. We calculated the ground-level binding energy of 146 nuclei with an odd mass number using three different models:the integrated nuclear model,the liquid drop model and the experimental model. The results of these models were compared with our theoretical results calculated by the artificial intelligence network. The mean squared error of the target and output values and how close they are to zero were calculated, and the degree of …

A New Avenue For Higgs Boson Self-Coupling Measurements: Combined Searches For Higgs Pairs In Multilepton Final States With The Atlas Experiment, Reagan E. Thornberry

Physics Theses and Dissertations

The Higgs boson self-coupling (λ) is a fundamental parameter of the Standard Model that sets the shape of the Higgs potential and probes the mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking. This coupling can be directly measured through Higgs boson pair production (HH), which has a predicted production rate roughly 1000 times smaller than single-Higgs production at the LHC.

A combined search for non-resonant Higgs boson pair production in final states with multiple light leptons (e,µ), hadronically decaying τ leptons, and photons is presented, using 140 fb−1 of 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of …

Accurate Prediction Of Geometrical Parameters Of An Ultra-Broadband Metamaterial Absorber Using Machine Learning, Md. Rezwan Ahmed, Oishi Jyoti, Pritu Parna Sarkar, Mohammod Abdul Motin, Md. Selim Habib, Md. Samiul Habib

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In this paper, we systematically demonstrate the design and analysis of a new type of ultra-broadband tunable metamaterial perfect absorber (MPA) comprising a top vanadium dioxide (VO2) based patterned resonating patch, a continuous metallic film at the bottom, and an intermediate dielectric substrate having a thickness of only 0.18 at the center working frequency. The simulation results reveal that the absorber achieves a bandwidth of 7.26 THz, ranging from 5.40 THz to 12.66 THz, with more than 90% absorptance and an average absorption of 98.21% under normal incidence of the incoming THz wave. Furthermore, absorptance exceeding 99% is achieved between …

Physics Meets Data: Merging Physics-Based Methods With Deep Learning To Model Complex Systems, Maryam Toloubidokhti

Theses

Accurate modeling of complex systems is crucial in domains such as healthcare, where personalized diagnosis and treatment planning are essential. Traditional physics-based models provide structured, theoretically grounded insights but are often computationally intensive and constrained by simplified assumptions that limit adaptability to patient-specific conditions. In contrast, data-driven models are computationally efficient and capable of capturing complex patterns, yet they often lack interpretability and fail to incorporate essential physical principles, reducing robustness and generalization. This disconnect between mechanistic understanding and computational practicality presents significant challenges in critical applications such as healthcare, where both physical accuracy and real-time performance are vital. To …

Physics 2426 Lecture Slides Volume 3, Chapters 3-4: Interference And Diffraction, Raji Kannampuzha Ph.D.

Physics

Lecture slides for PHYS 2426 (University Physics II) were developed using OpenStax Physics Volume II and III from Rice University. These materials were created as part of Collin College’s 2023-2024 OER Faculty Development Grant. Supported by State Farm Insurance Company, these grants are designed to help faculty develop and integrate open educational resources (OER) into their classrooms and expand the use of OER. All materials were peer-reviewed by Collin College faculty and administrators as part of the grant process to ensure quality and alignment with course objectives.

Physics 2426 Lecture Slides Volume 2, Chapter 6: Gauss's Law, Raji Kannampuzha Ph.D.

Physics

Lecture slides for PHYS 2426 (University Physics II) were developed using OpenStax Physics Volume II and III from Rice University. These materials were created as part of Collin College’s 2023-2024 OER Faculty Development Grant. Supported by State Farm Insurance Company, these grants are designed to help faculty develop and integrate open educational resources (OER) into their classrooms and expand the use of OER. All materials were peer-reviewed by Collin College faculty and administrators as part of the grant process to ensure quality and alignment with course objectives.

Physics 2426 Lecture Slides Volume 2, Chapter 5: Electric Charge And Field, Raji Kannampuzha Ph.D.

Physics

Lecture slides for PHYS 2426 (University Physics II) were developed using OpenStax Physics Volume II and III from Rice University. These materials were created as part of Collin College’s 2023-2024 OER Faculty Development Grant. Supported by State Farm Insurance Company, these grants are designed to help faculty develop and integrate open educational resources (OER) into their classrooms and expand the use of OER. All materials were peer-reviewed by Collin College faculty and administrators as part of the grant process to ensure quality and alignment with course objectives.

Physics 2425 Lecture Slides Volume 1, Chapter 16: Waves, Raji Kannampuzha Ph.D.

Physics

This page provides lecture slides for Calculus-based University Physics I (PHYS 2425). Chapters covered in the course are based on OpenStax Physics Volume I and Volume II from Rice University. These materials were created as part of Collin College’s CARES OER Development Grant in 2022. Materials were peer-reviewed by Collin faculty and administrators as part of the grant process.

This work, "University Physics I Lecture Slides," is adapted from "University Physics Volume 1" and “University Physics Volume 2” by William Moebs, Samuel J. Ling, Jeff Sanny, et al., used under CC BY 4.0.

Physics 2425 Lecture Slides Volume 1, Chapter 1: Units, Measurement, Raji Kannampuzha Ph.D.

Physics

This page provides lecture slides for Calculus-based University Physics I (PHYS 2425). Chapters covered in the course are based on OpenStax Physics Volume I and Volume II from Rice University. These materials were created as part of Collin College’s CARES OER Development Grant in 2022. Materials were peer-reviewed by Collin faculty and administrators as part of the grant process.

This work, "University Physics I Lecture Slides," is adapted from "University Physics Volume 1" and “University Physics Volume 2” by William Moebs, Samuel J. Ling, Jeff Sanny, et al., used under CC BY 4.0.

Phys 102 - All: General Physics I Lecture, Physics Department

Physics Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Opse 301 - 101: Optical Science & Engineering Optics, Tino Hoffman

Physics Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Phys 121 - 001: Physics Ii Lecture, Physics Department

Physics Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Phys 121 - H: Physics Ii Lecture, Tao Zhou

Physics Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Phys 122 - All: Electricity And Magnetism, Tao Zhou

Physics Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Phys 432 - 001: Electromagnetism I, Lindsay Goodwin

Physics Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Phys 621 - 101: Classical Electrodynamics, Satoshi Inoue

Physics Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Lipid And Cholesterol Peroxidation Leads To Α-Crystallin Membrane Aggregation And Cataract Formation, Nawal K. Khadka, Preston Hazen, Oluwaseyi Akinola, Xinzhu Pu, Laxman Mainali

Boise State University Publications and Presentations

Purpose: The significant lens chaperone protein α-crystallin (αABc), comprised of αA-crystallin (αAc) and αB-crystallin (αBc) subunits, is found to form membrane-bound aggregates with age and cataract formation. However, the molecular basis for such aggregate formation is still unclear. Our research primarily aims to elucidate the effect of lipids (phospholipids and sphingolipids) and cholesterol (Chol) peroxidation on the aggregation of αAc, αBc, and αABc to bovine lens nuclear membrane (NM).

Methods: Lipid and Chol peroxidation was induced by a photosensitized peroxidation reaction, and topographical images of NM and oxidized-NM (Ox-NM) with and without αAc, αBc, or αABc were obtained using atomic …

Awake And Alive: An Investigation Into Content For A Music Course Incorporating The Sciences, Harrison Boraas

Masters Theses

The purpose of this qualitative, instrumental case study was to identify the content for an interdisciplinary course about music and the brain that educates collegiate students about the benefits of lifelong music engagement. Despite increasing awareness of musical relevance to the human brain, many institutions of higher learning continue to teach music as its isolated area of study without connecting it to other fields that could benefit from incorporating it or vice versa. The sample size consisted of four to seven experts that were either community experts or Liberty University faculty in the fields of science, medicine, or music within …

Search For Higgs Boson Pair Production In The Two Light Leptons And One Tau Final State Using Proton-Proton Collision Data With $\Sqrt{S} = 13$ Tev At The Lhc From The Atlas Detector, Susan Bataju

Physics Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, a search is presented for the pair production of Higgs bosons in a final state containing two same-charge light leptons (e/$\mu$) and one opposite-charge hadronically decaying tau lepton ($\tau_{h}$). The search is based on a data sample of proton-proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, collected by the ATLAS detector during Run 2 (2015-2018) of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. The Standard Model predicts that the Higgs potential has a non-zero expectation value leading to the spontaneous breaking of electroweak symmetry and when some fundamental …

Field Width Comparison Of The Photon Beams 6 Mv And 10 Mv Coming Out Of The Radiotherapy Linear Accelerator, Basma Saber Lazem, Ikram Jumaa Hassan, Basim Khalaf Rejah, Hyam Khalaf, Mostafa Yuness Abdelfatah Mostafa

Baghdad Science Journal

The current study aims to measure and compare the field width emerging from the radiotherapy linear accelerator in different directions, three dimensions were chosen to measure the field width in an orderly (inline, cross line, diagonal A and B) manner. The 10 Mv and 6 Mv photon beam energies were used, and the Star Track device was adopted to measure the field width in different directions. The radiotherapy linear accelerator at the Baghdad Center for Radiation Therapy and Nuclear Medicine was used every week five weeks. The results recorded that when the energy increased 10 Mv, there was an increase …

Assessing The Influence Of Radiotherapy On The Level Of Zinc In Cancer Patients Serum, Muqdad A. Yousif, Talib A. Abdulwahid

Baghdad Science Journal

Cancer patients often undergo radiation therapy as part of their treatment plan, and certain levels of zinc are essential for repairing DNA and maintaining our immune system. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the extent of the effect of this type of treatment on the level of zinc in blood serum, as 106 samples were collected from both healthy individuals and cancer patients to measure zinc levels in blood serum. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used after properly preparing the sample, and the results showed that the healthy group had an average zinc concentration of (1.316 ± 0.10) × 10^{3 …}

Phys 121- 021, 121: Physics Ii Lecture, Physics Department

Physics Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Thermal Simulation For Ultrafast Laser In Multilayered Sample For Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording Application, Haidar J. Mohamad, Basaad Hadi Hamza

Baghdad Science Journal

Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) is a promising step in expanding hard disk capacity. This technique depends on the ultrafast laser to demagnetize the layer and record the data on a hard disk or any storage media. However, the recipe for the layers is challenging and gives a space to explore. The investigation of the effects of temperature profile and thermal gradient on the suggested sample FePt (8 nm)/MgO (8 nm)/SiO₂ (58 nm)/Si (9.32 E-7 m) for HAMR use was the focus of this study. The simulation of the multilayered gives a view of ultrafast laser behavior (power density 1.7923 …

Effect Of Surface Stress On Love Wave Propagation In A Rotating Initially Stressed Orthotropic Elastic Solid Half-Space With Impedance Boundary Conditions, Somaiah Kamidi, Venkateswara Rao Burugu, Srinivas Remidi

Baghdad Science Journal

This article aims to investigate the effect of material surface stress on the propagation of Love waves in a rotating, homogeneous, initially stressed orthotropic elastic solid with impedance-type boundary conditions. For deriving Love waves, the basic equations are solved with the help of the traditional wave solution method. Secular equations about Love waves are computed as a function of surface stress, rotation, and initial stress. The effects of initial compression and surface stress have been discussed numerically using MATLAB for a particular model.

Arkansas High School Teacher Perceptions About Declining Enrollment And Learning Experiences In Advanced Science Courses, Tanya Lynette Ruble

Student Theses and Dissertations

Student enrollment in advanced high school science courses in Arkansas, specifically Chemistry, Physics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics has declined since 2014. Colleges across the nation recommend that students take Biology, Chemistry, and Physics in high school to prepare for rigorous science majors in college. Decreased enrollment in these subjects can lead to fewer college science majors and impact the preparation of students for careers in STEM fields such as engineering and healthcare. This qualitative phenomenological study utilized three research questions to explore the reasons for the decline in advanced high school science course enrollment in Arkansas. It …

Phys 102-011: General Physics I, Keun Ahn

Physics Syllabi

No abstract provided.