Department of Physics

The Department of Physics is teaching and performing research at KTH. The department is located at The AlbaNova University Centre near Roslagstull, together with several other departments from KTH and Stockholm University. Department of Applied Physics and Department of Theoretical Physics are two of the KTH departments located at AlbaNova.

Vacant positions

Associate professor/professor in Nuclear Power Safety
Lektor/professor i kärnkraftsäkerhet

PhD student in experimental particle physics
Doktorand i experimentell partikelfysik

Two PhD students in experimental astroparticle physics
Två doktorander i experimentell astropartikelfysik

Research Groups

• Applied Atomic and Molecular Physics

  Research:
  The group concentrates on the development of new spectroscopic methods for applications in fusion plasma diagnostics and in photon induced studiesof molecular processes. Studies involve e.g. impurity behaviour of the divertor plasma, the magnetic pitch angle evolution in the main hot fusion plasma and the fragmentation and the dissociation processes of UV excited molecules. International research facilities are frequently used as well as the home laboratory for instrumental development and data analysis.

• Medical Imaging

  Research:
  The ultimate long term goal for the Medical Imaging group is to fundamentally change medical x-ray imaging as it is known today. This will involve detectors that are faster, more efficient, have higher contrast and with higher spatial resolution. Combining the new detectors with novel x-ray optics will be important. Computer simulations are used to evaluate the new concepts for systems in parallel with performing numerous experiments. One outcome will be that the radiation dose to the patient can be dramatically reduced for some examinations where this is essential.

• Nuclear Physics

  Research:
  The nuclear physics group is devoted to experimental and theoretical studies of nuclei at very limits of nuclear stability, especially related to isospin, angular momentum and deformation. The research also includes detector development within the AGATA gamma-ray tracking project and the other detector systems at the future European facilities for radioactive ion beams. Nuclear techniques are utilized in applications for e.g. medical imaging and insustry. In nuclear theory, the spin-orbit interaction and the simmetry energy in microscopic models, as well as alpha decay from differently shaped nuclei, are studied.

• Nuclear Safety

  Research:
  The research activity includes studies of severe accident phenomena in nuclear power plants; advanced multi-physics and multi-scale simulation methods for coupled neutron-kinetic and thermal-hydraulic analysis of transients and accidents in nuclear reactors; experiments and analyses to support safety design of advanced nuclear energy systems, and basic research in boiling heat transfer.

• Particle and Astroparticle Physics

  Research:
  The experimental particle physics group is engaged in studies of high energyhadron collisions with an emphasis on calorimetry and searches for supersimmetry. Using novel instrumentation, the astroparticle physics group investigates the cosmic radiation from space-based platforms to study the Cosmos. These groups also study the radiation environment in space habitats, such as ISS. Detector technology is also developed for medical and security applications and advanced signal processing and feature extraction from torrent sensor data is used to interpret infrasound and seismic data.

• Reactor Physics

  Research:
  The group performs research on transmutation of nuclear waste. The main emphasis is on the design and safety analysis of accelerator driven systems for transmutation of higher actinides. We also work on the simulation of transmutation fuel behaviour in- and out of pile using ab initio as well as calphad methods. Simulation of radiation damage in reactor steels is performed. Further activities are related to the design of high temperature reactors and optimisation of Monte Carlo methods for neutron transport.

• Reactor Technology

  Research:
  The group performs experimental and numerical simulations of heat transfer and multiphase flow processes related to safe and economical operation of nuclear power plants. Fundamental research includes studies of boiling, condensation of vapor in presence of non-condensable gases, drop dynamics in complex geometry and heat transfer deterioration in supercritical water.