Activities
Summer Student Programme 2025
Activities
DESY summer students will join groups engaged in the following activities:
Programme A : Photon Science (only at Hamburg)
- Students join photon science groups at DESY engaged in fundamental and applied research in the fields of physics, biology, chemistry, crystallography, material science and geological science. Some of the students will work in the frame of the European XFEL project. The work includes participation in activities like preparation and realisation of measurements, evaluation of measured data and technical improvements of instrumentation.
- A1. Solid-state physics and nanoscience:
Students will get hands-on experience in a range of topics from the preparation of well-defined, ultra-clean surfaces, the growth of nanostructures by molecular beam epitaxy and sputtering as well as approaches for the characterisation of such structures by combining surface-sensitive X-ray diffraction with standard surface analytical tools such as scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In more theoretical projects an introduction to diffraction data analysis concepts is offered. - A2. Molecular sciences:
Students join groups performing research in chemistry, biology and physics aiming at unraveling the structure-function relationship of molecular sciences. Experiments include the imaging of molecular structure and dynamics of systems ranging from small molecules over nano-objects to biological macromolecules, viruses or cells. These experiments push limits of spatial and temporal resolution using novel X-ray, electron or ultrashort laser-pulse sources. Projects include sample preparation, imaging experiments and data analysis. - A3. Soft-matter sciences:
Students learn about methods to investigate the structure and dynamics of systems such as complex liquids and glasses such as small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) using coherent X-ray beams, X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) and X-ray cross-correlation analysis (XCCA). In addition, they synthesise colloidal samples in our chemistry lab. Hands-on experiments using laser scattering set-ups on self-synthesised colloidal systems and analysing and interpreting the obtained data allows both to train their programming skills as well as critical discussion of experimental results. - A4. Development of experimental techniques:
Students join groups developing new experimental techniques, including diffraction and scattering, spectroscopy and imaging. The unique capabilities of X-rays as a probe allows the investigation of a specimen inside special sample environments such as chemical reactors or pressure cells. Topics include ultrafast, time-resolved or in-situ diffraction and scattering techniques, imaging and microscopy with coherent X-rays, tomography, X-ray optics and nanofocusing, scanning microscopy and microspectroscopy. - A5. Lasers and optics:
Students join groups developing laser sources, measurement and diagnostics techniques and their applications. Topics cover a wide field including ultrafast lasers, high power and high energy lasers, free-electron laser (FEL) seeding, strong field optical sub-cycle pulse synthesis, frequency combs and phase-stable laser sources, laser spectroscopy, strong-field THz pulse studies, X-ray pulse diagnostics, high-order harmonic generation and attosecond science and ultrafast nano-optics. Projects include handling of laser optics, electronics and programming, simulations and data analysis. - A6. Theory and computing:
Theory projects have a close connection to experimental applications or the development of new methods for characterising the properties of matter. An intense use of numerical techniques but also a solid understanding of the underlying theory is required. Students work on solving the Schrödinger equation for highly excited many-electron systems, the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for dynamical processes, techniques for nonperturbative radiation-matter interactions, quantum-chemical simulations and the development of algorithms for solving specific photon science and imaging problems.
Programme B : Research in Elementary Particle Experiments, Accelerators, Theory of experimental particles and Computing:
Experiments in Elementary Particle Physics:
Research in the fields B1-B2 concentrates on the following areas:
-- Experiments ATLAS, CMS at the proton-proton-collider LHC,
-- Preparations for future experiments in particle physics,
-- The Belle II experiment and
-- The exeriment ALPS II at DESY.
Activities can be categorised as follows:
- B1. Physics data analysis and performance (software-oriented):
Students will work on projects in the areas of preparation, reconstruction and analysis of real and/or simulated experimental data. Topics include: reconstructing physics objects (particles) from the detector data, event triggering, detector calibration, data quality monitoring, Higgs physics, standard model measurements, QCD, top quark physics, searches for new physics and flavour physics. The work will typically include the use and/or development of software tools based on Python and C++ as well as potential applications of Machine Learning libraries and other advanced data analysis and processing techniques. - B2. Development of experimental equipment (hardware-oriented):
Students join experimental groups working on the development of detectors, e.g. ATLAS and CMS at the High-Luminosity LHC, the ILD, BELLE II and ALPS II. Groups at DESY work on silicon trackers, gaseous detectors, data acquisition systems and testbeams. The students contribute to laboratory and testbeam setups, prepare and perform test measurements with prototypes, analyse and interpret the measured data.
Further research areas within Programme B offering projects as:
- B3. Research on accelerators:
Students join groups engaged in the development of accelerators. Activities include prototype projects for an e+e- linear collider with emphasis on superconducting rf cavities and projects for beamline instrumentation and plasma wakefield acceleration. In Zeuthen, students can actively participate in the development of the photo injector test facility PITZ, which develops high-brightness electron sources, with applications ranging from ultra-bright THz sources to cutting-edge cancer therapy using ultra-high-dose rate irradiations. - B4. Theory of elementary particles:
Students acquire some elementary insight into topics from the wide spectrum of research carried out in Hamburg at the DESY Hamburg theory group and in Zeuthen at the DESY Zeuthen theory group, the NIC institute. Depending on previous knowledge, activities typically range from further reading, with discussions of theoretical concepts and research methods, to participation in simple research projects. Students are encouraged to indicate in their application if they have a preference for a particular field of research pursued in the theory groups. Often at least a minimum pre-knowledge (e.g. from lecture courses) is required in order to be selected for a project in a particular field. - B5. Computing:
At DESY Hamburg, students can participate in various areas of scientific computing such as data acquisition at high bandwidths, high volume data storage and management, as well as offline data processing and simulation on DESY clusters that are embedded in the worldwide LHC Computing Grid WLCG and the National Analysis Facility (NAF) for the German High Energy Physics Communities. Additional clusters provide the infrastructure for GPU-accelerated high performance data processing. Moreover, students can also work on collaborative IT services for scientific computing including shared spaces for documents, Gitlab and JupyterHub services as well as an infrastructure for single sign-on. Additionally in Zeuthen, projects in the field of quantum and parallel computing are offered. See here for more detailed information.
- Typical relative fractions of the number of offered projects in the different Programme B areas are:
B1(40%),B2(33%), B3(12%), B4(10%) and B5(3%).
Program C : Research in Astroparticle Physics:
We explore high-energy processes in our universe and study messengers from outer space. Projects for summer students are offered in the following areas of physics analysis, instrument development and theory of astroparticle physics:
- C1. Astroparticle physics analysis and observations:
Physics analysis in the context of gamma-ray observatories like CTA, H.E.S.S. and VERITAS, neutrino observatories such as IceCube and RNO-G, optical and UV telescopes such as ULTRASAT, and future detectors for high-energy astrophysics. Projects include analysis of data taken with the listed observatories, algorithm development, transient detection methods and activities in advanced computing and machine learning techniques. - C2. Instrumentation for astroparticle physics:
Activities encompass the development of instrumentation for astroparticle experiments including readout electronics, radio equipment, photo detectors, semiconductor sensors, optical devices and telescope structures. Students will contribute to major experiments such as the CTAO Medium Size Telescope (MST) structure, the Small Size Telescope (SST) camera, IceCube optical modules and the ULTRASAT camera. - C3. Theory of astroparticle physics:
Students are offered participation in research projects related to the modeling of astrophysical phenomena and interpretation of information from multiple high-energy messengers. Studies include the theoretical treatment of particle acceleration, high velocity outflows and turbulences as well as gravitational waves.
In your online application:
Please mark for which programme categories you wish to apply (up to three choices). Examples:
- You mark A1, A4, A5 as your choices
- You mark B1, B5, B3 as your choices
- You mark C3, C2, C1 as your choices
Please take note:
- It is also possible to mix categories, e.g. marking A5, B1, C1 or B1, C3, A1, etc.
- Since the number of available spots differ among the subcatagories, it may not be possible to assign you a project within your first-choice topic.