Admission requirements
- Astronomy master's course Detection of Light a.
Description
This course covers recent detector technologies and advanced topics, such as:
Microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs)
Transition edge sensors (TES)
Detection of X-ray photons
Effects of high-energy radiation on detectors
The emphasis of part b is on more recent detector developments in low temperature detectors and advanced topics related to the practical operation of detectors. Since part of the lectures will be given by external guest lecturers, the topics covered in this course may change, depending on their availability.
Course objectives
The main objectives of this course are:
To provide an overview of:
Technologies and underlying physics used to detect electromagnetic radiation from UV to sub-millimeter wavelengths.
State-of-the-art superconducting detector devices
Future detector technologies for astronomy
Critically reading and evaluating scientific literature
Timetable
In MyTimetable, you can find all course and programme schedules, allowing you to create your personal timetable. Activities for which you have enrolled via MyStudyMap will automatically appear in your timetable.
Additionally, you can easily link MyTimetable to a calendar app on your phone, and schedule changes will be automatically updated in your calendar. You can also choose to receive email notifications about schedule changes. You can enable notifications in Settings after logging in.
Questions? Watch the video, read the instructions, or contact the ISSC helpdesk.
Note: Joint Degree students from Leiden/Delft need to combine information from both the Leiden and Delft MyTimetables to see a complete schedule. This video explains how to do it.
Mode of instruction
Half of the lectures are given by the lecturer of the course (Pieter de Visser). The other half of the lectures will be given by guest lecturers, most of them from outside Leiden University.
Assessment method
- Mandatory attendance of the guest lectures
- Poster presentation in one of the lectures near the end of course, on a research question that will guide a literature study. Questions/topics will be handed out at the start of the course (25% of the final grade).
- Written exam - closed book with formula sheet provided (75% of the final grade).
Reading list
This course does not require any formal book.
Registration
As a student, you are responsible for enrolling on time through MyStudyMap.
In this short video, you can see step-by-step how to enrol for courses in MyStudyMap.
Extensive information about the operation of MyStudyMap can be found here.
There are two enrolment periods per year:
Enrolment for the fall opens in July
Enrolment for the spring opens in December
See this page for more information about deadlines and enrolling for courses and exams.
Note:
It is mandatory to enrol for all activities of a course that you are going to follow.
Your enrolment is only complete when you submit your course planning in the ‘Ready for enrolment’ tab by clicking ‘Send’.
Not being enrolled for an exam/resit means that you are not allowed to participate in the exam/resit.
Contact
Lecturer: Dr. ir. Pieter de Visser (p.j.de.visser@sron.nl)
Remarks
Soft skills
In this course, students will be trained in the following behaviour-oriented skills:
Problem solving (recognizing and analyzing problems, solution-oriented thinking)
Analytical skills (analytical thinking, abstraction, evidence)
Project management – planning, scope, boundaries, result-orientation
Motivation – commitment, pro-active attitude, initiative
Verbal communication – presenting, speaking, listening
Written communication (writing skills, reporting, summarizing)
Critical thinking (asking questions, check assumptions)
Creative thinking – resourcefulness, curiosity, thinking out of the box
Integrity (honesty, moral, ethics, personal values)
Software
Starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the Faculty of Science will use the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.