The National University of Science and Technology has made undergraduates challenge particle physics the hardest technology and succeeded!

Text ｜ "China Science News" reporter Han Yangmei

Team members are discussing the software process, from left to right for Jiang Yi, Lu Xiaorui, Ma Ruiting, Qian Wenbin, Zheng Yangheng, Liu Yinrui attended the meeting online. Interviewee confidence

This was not a "ambitious" competition, but now it seems that they do "win".

In July of this year, the International Cooperation Team of the Baccag Backer of the European Nuclear Research Center announced the discovery of three novelty particles. Two of the "Four Quicks" Qiangzi were found by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the National Science and Technology University) particle physics experiment team. This provides new experimental evidence for confirming the new material form that is beyond the conventional severe child and the media, which will deepen the human understanding of the material's most basic structure in the universe.

Professor Chris Pax, a professor at the University of Manchester and the head of the LHCB experimental cooperation team, commented: "The data processing discovered by the new four quarks depends on the software tools developed by several Chinese colleagues."

The core backbones of this "several Chinese colleagues" include two undergraduates and one graduate student of the University of Science and Technology. Zheng Yangheng, the head of the particle physics experiment team and the deputy dean of the School of Physics of the University of Science and Technology, is interested in the students, coupled with sufficient knowledge reserves and a suitable research platform, undergraduate students can also make important scientific research results.

Challenge the hardest technology

In 2014, the National University of Science and Technology recruited undergraduates for the first time, with the goal of cultivating "future scientists", relying on the resources of the Scientific Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and using the concept of "integration of science and education" to carry out undergraduate training.

The National Science and Technology Grama Physics Experiment team led by Zheng Yangheng is an important partner of Beijing's positive and negative electronic collision BESIII experiments and LHCB experiments. At the beginning, Zheng Yangheng just held the mentality of training undergraduates and allowed students to participate in the experiment.

Jiang Yi is the second undergraduate student of the School of Physics of the University of Science and Technology. Qian Wenbin, the associate professor of his mentor and president of the School of Physics, uses "inner show" to describe Jiang Yi.

At the postgraduate retest site, Qian Wenbin saw Jiang Yi for the first time. He told the Journal of China that Jiang Yi's comprehensive achievements were not outstanding, and physical results were not the best. "During the interview, we asked him some of the graduate -stage particle physical questions. He actually answered it and understood it deeply." In this way, Jiang Yi was admitted to the School of Physics of the University of Science and Technology as a master's degree.

Soon after that, Lu Xiaorui, a special professor of the School of Physics and the co -person in charge of the BESIII experimental cooperation group, learned through Zheng Yangheng that Jiang Yi's computer skills were very solid, and Jiang Yi proposed to participate in challenging distribution analysis work.

This proposal later promoted the development of the basic software that the new discovery relied on the above discovery, TF-PWA universal amplitude analysis tools. The software is used for distribution analysis of large particle physics experiment data.

"Segmentation analysis is a means to understand the nature of the particle characteristics and discover some new particles that cannot be bypassed." Zheng Yangheng told the "China Science News" that due to the high threshold of the wave analysis, the existing tools are low, the calculation speed is high, the calculation speed Slowly makes it difficult for some related research to make major breakthroughs.

In the past, they also considered universal software for development distribution analysis, but because of the immature conditions, their ideas were put on hold. Until 2017, Qian Wenbin returned to China to join the National University of Science and Technology. Because of his rich experience in distribution analysis, things turned around.

Zheng Yangheng found Qian Wenbin and Lu Xiaorui to discuss and decide to jointly promote the development of a foundation software tool that is good and easy to get started.

"The data in our BESIII experiments and LHCB experiments have accumulated to a certain extent, and the research on wave analysis has become a necessary research method." Lu Xiaorui told the China Science News.

Over the years, Qian Wenbin and Lu Xiaorui have been looking for a breakthrough. Jiang Yi's joining has strengthened the determination of the team's immediately. Zheng Yangheng admits that one of the most difficult technologies in particle physics experiments to do it to undergraduates. Can they succeed? At the beginning, they did not expect too much.

"The work behind it is boring, and you must really calm down to do it."

The most critical step is to develop the software design framework based on which method. This is related to the performance and efficiency of software.

During that time, Qian Wenbin and Jiang Yi made a lot of investigations and attempts. They found almost all seminated analysis tools and GPU computing tools at that time, and then programmed to verify the performance. During the survey, they found that different scholars had different ideas and could not "decide".

To this end, Qian Wenbin and Lu Xiaorui specially held a seminar to invite many experts from the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University and other universities to analyze and discuss the advantages and disadvantages and characteristics of each method. Software library "tensorflow2".

After unremitting efforts, based on "TensorFlow2", Jiang Yi successfully used modern programming technologies such as GPU parallel computing, automatic micro -differential and vector operations for segmentation computing. The analysis efficiency in some links can be increased by about 200 times compared to traditional CPU parallel computing. In addition, the TF-PWA program is highly automated, good, and stronger. The most important thing is that the tool is relatively easy to operate, and students and sisters can usually get started in about a week.

"In this process, the hardest thing is to compare with the results of the existing procedures." Jiang Yi told the China Science Journal, "Due to the complexity of the distribution analysis formula and there are multiple equivalent 'variants', we did Many comparisons, step by step to adjust the details. "Jiang Yi and Liu Yinrui's mutual inspection, combined with the auxiliary inspections of other members of the team, gradually optimized programming until it was completely consistent. Liu Yinrui is a 2016 undergraduate student at the University of Science and Technology and a member of the team. He has a good physical foundation and is responsible for the derivation and functional implementation of the physical process formula. After more than half a year of research, the software finally had a basic prototype. Zheng Yangheng admits: "The work behind it is boring, and you must really calm down."

Today, as a basic software, TF-PWA has gradually been recognized by many domestic and foreign teams, and is constantly showing its skills in the discovery of new particles and new phenomena. Liu Yinrui also went to the University of Chicago to study for a PhD in physics.

The advantage of "science and education integration"

"Platform is our core competitiveness." Zheng Yangheng told the China Science Journal that the National Science and Technology University has a full academic direction and many opportunities for resource platforms. Students can find their own scientific research interests through trial and error.

Relying on the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of High Energy Physics, Institute of theoretical Physics, including the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Institute of High -Energy Physics, the Institute of High Energy Physics, in -depth participation in the Extreme Conditional Comprehensive Center, Beijing Positive Electronics Campaign, and Daya Bay Reactor neutrinos The scientific research work of a group of national scientific devices such as experimental device, Lanzhou heavy ion accelerator, and scattered neutralizes also has continuous and in -depth cooperation with international large -scale particle physics experiment platforms.

The undergraduate training system of the School of Physics was established and developed under the leadership of the former dean and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Gao Hongjun, and the current dean of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the party committee of the college. Core concept.

In addition to the cutting -edge scientific research instruments, the School of Physics also provides students with the guidance of international first -class academic mentors.

Ma Ruiting, a doctoral student of the University of Science and Technology of China, is also one of the participants of this achievement and is responsible for data analysis and other work. This year, at the 41st International High -Energy Physics Conference, he made a verbal academic report on the discovery of the new four quarks on behalf of the LHCB experimental cooperation team, and was guided by the top international expert judges in the field.

"The" big guys' skills "have a deep skill, the questions raised are sharp and difficult to answer, and they are a little nervous when dealing with them." Ma Ruicing admitted. But in the process, he appreciated the best ideas and ways of research on the best scientists and opened up his horizons.

For teachers at the School of Physics, this is also a successful case of "long teaching". Lu Xiaorui and Qian Wenbin said that because of the good research environment and strong teamwork, they can progress with students.

From the cultivation process of Jiang Yi and Liu Yinrui, Zheng Yangheng saw the two different characteristics of talents -one of the restrained and sullen officers; the other had strong communication skills and would take the initiative to ask questions. "Students who take the initiative to communicate will ask if they encounter problems. I can help solve and make ideas. What do I do if I am embarrassed to ask questions?" Zheng Yangheng felt that teachers should take the initiative to help students.

Drawing on the top international universities, such as the famous Sanyi College of Cambridge University, St. John College, Darwin Academy, etc. used for talent training and teacher -student exchanges, the National University of Science and Technology established Yuquan Academy. In a small and close circle such as the academy, teachers and students live together to promote communication.

"The core of the academy is to continuously strengthen the interaction between teachers and students and create opportunities and conditions for exchanges." Zheng Yangheng said. They discuss at least once a week, each with six or seven undergraduates. The exchange content is unlimited, you can tell difficulties, you can also share experience, and you can use the holidays to study in the research institute ...

Zheng Yangheng hopes that undergraduates who go out of the atmosphere of the University of Science and Technology from the University of Science and Technology can become a "tree breeding person" in international competition and cooperation, not just "fruit picking". "If you want to be in a favorable position in large -scale international cooperation experiments, you must" plant trees ". The software tools in development scientific research are to cultivate the big 'tree' under the undergraduate. In the future, we will continue to plant new 'trees'. "

"China Science News" (2022-09-07 The first edition of the original title is "A win-win" experiment "" ")

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