Research Interests

Our group does research relevant to the understanding of fundamental particles and interactions.   The tools we use are borrowed from AMO, nuclear and particle physics.

We are operating the largest double-beta decay experiment in the world (EXO-200) that is producing high sensitivity results on the mass of neutrinos and on the question of whether or not neutrinos are described by a 4-component wave function like all other fermions (neutrinos may be “Majorana” particles, described by 2-component wave functions, instead of Dirac particles.)

Also within the EXO program we are developing a new method to extend the sensitivity of a future experiment.  This work involves the identification of the Ba atom produced in the double-beta decay of Xe using AMO techniques.

We just started a new program to investigate the nature of gravity at a scale near 1 micron.    To do this we will use submicron size quartz beads trapped in laser fields in vacuum, with several novel techniques to apply the gravitational force and detect its influence.

We also have a program to develop imaging detectors for gamma-ray astronomy as well as novel radiation detectors for application in homeland security and medical physics.

We have openings for new graduate students in (almost) all of the projects above.

• Experimental Particle Physics 
• Experimental Nuclear Physics 

Research Group web page

Career History

• E. Persico Prize, Accademia dei Lincei, 1982 
• Laurea "Magna Cum Laude", University of Rome (Italy), 1986 
• Fellow Italian Institute for Nuclear Research, 1987-89 
• Research Fellow, Caltech, 1989-92 
• Senior Research Fellow, Caltech, 1992-95 
• Associate Professor, Stanford, 1995-2004 
• Professor, Stanford, 2005-present
  

Current Graduate Students and Projects

• Maria Montero Diez, Ba atom identification/transport
• Russell Neilson, EXO-200 data analysis
• Kevin O’Sullivan, EXO-200 data analysis
• Karl Twelker, Ba atom identification/transport