Research in Elementary Particle Physics

这一奖项是芝加哥大学基本粒子物理研究计划的延续，该计划由三个团队组成，每个团队都在世界范围内的粒子物理重要实验之一中发挥着主导作用：(1)在伊利诺伊州巴达维亚的费米实验室的1.8TeV质子-反质子对撞机上的CDF实验；(2)在LEP的四个探测器之一的欧普实验；(3)在瑞士日内瓦CERN的大型电子-正电子对撞机；以及(3)正在为费米实验室的固定目标计划中的新K介子束建造的KTEV实验。CDF的主要目标是找到顶夸克，这是标准模型中强子物质六个成分中最后一个也是最重的一个。Opal正在研究Z，这是一种中性的中间向量玻色子，与光子一起，是电磁力和支配核β衰变的力统一的核心。KTEV是试图理解CP对称性破坏的起源的计划的下一步，而CP对称性破坏被认为是理解宇宙中物质和反物质之间的不对称的关键--这是我们存在的必要前提。这笔赠款将支助恩里科·费米研究所的首席研究员弗兰克·梅里特教授、9名教职员工、3名高级研究员、9名博士后助理研究员、17名研究生和大多数技术人员。

This award is a continuation of a program of research in elementary particle physics at the University of Chicago which consists of three teams, each of which is playing a leading role in one of the premier experiments in particle physics on a world- wide scale: (1) the CDF experiment at the 1.8 Tev proton- antiproton collider at Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois; (2) the OPAL experiment that is one of the four detectors at LEP, a large electron-positron collider at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, and (3) the KTEV experiment, which is being constructed for the new K meson beam in the fixed target program at Fermilab. The major goal of CDF is to find the top quark, the last and heaviest of the six components of hadronic matter in the Standard Model. Opal is investigating the Z , the neutral intermediate vector boson that, along with the photon, is central to the unification of the electromagnetic forces and the force governing nuclear beta decay. KTEV is the next step in a program that is attempting to understand the origin of CP symmetry violation which in turn is thought to be the key to understanding the asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the universe - a necessary prerequisite to our existence. The grant will support, including the Principal Investigator, Professor Frank Merritt, 9 faculty members, 3 senior researchers, 9 postdoctoral research associates, 17 graduate students and a majority of the technical staff at the Enrico Fermi Institute.