Garrett Bimstefer Email & Phone Number

Malibu, Ca, Us

Malibu, California, United States

I am a researcher at HRL in the Materials and Microsystems Laboratory contributing to the study of Si/SiGe triple quantum dot exchange only spin qubits and the development of cutting-edge qubit control systems. My primary role is in R&D for minimizing the effect of environmental noise on qubit error.

Blacksburg, Virginia, United States

I worked with Dr. Thomas O'Donnell on studying the material properties of the PEN scintillator material in cryogenic conditions (~10 mK). This research will potentially have applications in improving the signal-to-background in the CUORE double beta decay experiment.The mass and particle-antiparticle nature of the neutrino are open questions in physics. Neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ), if observed, would demonstrate that neutrinos are their own antiparticles. A cryogenic bolometer made of TeO2 is one approach to measure this rare decay, but the experiment must be cooled to cryogenic temperatures (~ 10 mK) to minimize thermal noise. Copper is typically used as a structural material to hold the TeO2 detector crystals due to its high thermal conductivity. However, all materials have some level of radioactive contamination due to various natural processes such as exposure to cosmic rays. High purity copper is readily available, but even the most pure copper has a problematic level of contamination for such experiments. This contamination, especially alpha-decaying nuclei on the surface of materials can create background in the detector. Scintillator materials can be used to coat the copper structure to potentially tag such alpha decays.

Blacksburg, Va

I worked with Professor John Domann on a start-up project for a novel method of nondestructive material analysis. We are developing a system that will utilize magnetoelastic particles as integrated "strain gauges". This will allow us to scan a material and obtain a stress field from the intensity of the particles' magnetic field at each point.Additionally, Dr. Domann was my advisor for my Sonoluminescence capstone research project where I proposed an experiment to characterize the plasma inside a collapsing bubble using cyclotron emission spectroscopy.

Linthicum Heights, Maryland, United States

I worked in the Reliability Analysis Laboratory (RAL) performing failure analyses and accelerated life tests. Most of my work dealt with failure analysis on advanced semiconductor components. This consisted of troubleshooting using a variety of laboratory equipment to “see” what humans cannot see with the naked eye. The work I did during this internship assisted in identifying problems and developing solutions for high-priority (~$10 billion) programs. This accelerated the progress of the program to allow for the delivery of a more reliable product in a shorter amount of time.

Linthicum Heights, Maryland, United States

At Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, I participated in laboratory work and experimentation in materials science. I have generated multiple material characterizations for different project applications. These materials characterizations are used to determine if a material is applicable to a specific application. Some variables I typically tested were tensile strength, shear strength, thermal conductivity, density, heat capacity, and modulus of elasticity. I was performing tests from conception to completion. I would design a test setup, build the samples, run the test, analyze the data, and give a report of my results to the internal customer. I also worked on a mathematical model for determining the apparent modulus of elasticity given the material and shape factor.Also, I studied thermal interface materials (TIMs) for use in microelectronics. We are developing a variable temperature vacuum chamber to test TIMs for space applications. My role was to take on a broad perspective of the entire system to ascertain the flow of data from the object of interest to the computer. I had to create the intermediate systems that will condition the signals coming from the sensors to a format that a computer can understand. Additionally, I am wrote a program using LabVIEW to automate the system so that anyone can use it without extended training.In addition to materials testing, I collaborated with a team of interns in testing different manufacturing methods for RF connectors. This testing will signify whether it is worthwhile for Northrop Grumman to invest in these expedited manufacturing methods. My role was to devise an experimental setup to objectively compare the various manufacturing methods for RF connectors. To accomplish this, I shadowed an experienced RF engineer in the design of a test PCB for this experiment. I was also in charge of procurement of materials and components for this test setup.

Blacksburg, Va

During my time at The Bio-Inspired Fluids Laboratory, Dr. Sunghwan Jung and I collaborated with researchers at the University of Manoa to study the feeding mechanisms of snails. This knowledge of snail feeding could be applied to inspiring a system for filtering contaminants out of the world's oceans. My function within this team was to replicate the feeding mechanism of a snail through physical means. I created an experimental setup using 3D printing and traced particle motion using Tracker, Excel, and MATLAB. I subsequently presented my findings and progress on a regular basis in a formal online presentation.

Laurel, Md

In high school, I held an internship at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in the Space Sector for two years. During which, I assisted my mentor, Dr. Ethan Miller, in creating a system for a real time ionospheric model. Like a weather report, a model of the ionosphere needs to be driven by specific observations. As a result, it is desirable to make these observations widely, frequently, and, in many applications, covertly. My work on this project involved the development and improvement of these novel data sources.

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Engineering, 3.96/4.00

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Physics, 3.96/4.00