Ge-STAR

Germanium-based Science and Technology Advancement Research

NSF

National Science Foundation

Ge-STAR is a statewide research incubator that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize high-purity germanium (Ge) crystal growth and detector development. Its mission is to enable advances in dark matter detection, medical imaging, and scientific education by leveraging South Dakota's unique infrastructure and diverse institutional collaboration.

Mission

Ge-STAR envisions national leadership in AI-powered germanium crystal growth and detector innovation for dark matter science, health diagnostics, and education.

Capacity Building – Strengthen infrastructure and R&D in Ge-based technologies across South Dakota institutions.
Workforce Development – Train diverse researchers and students in Ge detector development, AI, and interdisciplinary science.
Training Opportunities for All Americans – Provide professional development and career training opportunities for all Americans who contribute to Ge-STAR on a voluntary basis.
External Engagement – Collaborate with industry and healthcare providers to commercialize technologies and improve health outcomes.

Science

Develop novel Ge detectors with internal charge amplification (GeICA) for sub-eV sensitivity.
Detect MeV-scale dark matter and solar neutrinos.
Advance understanding of rare-event physics using low-background experiments at SURF.
Complement experiments like SuperCDMS and LZ with ultra-sensitive Ge technology.

Technologies Used:

Dislocation-free Ge crystal growth (Czochralski method)
Strip Ge detectors for spatial resolution
AI-enhanced signal/background discrimination (RT3: AI Integration)

Collaboration

Institutions Involved:

University of South Dakota (USD)
Black Hills State University (BHSU)
South Dakota Mines (SD Mines)
South Dakota State University (SDSU)
Dakota State University (DSU)
Mount Marty University (MMU)
Avera Health
Sanford Health

Key Roles:

USD: Crystal growth & detector R&D
BHSU: Signal/noise reduction & Native American outreach
SD Mines: AI integration & detector characterization
SDSU: Imaging + theranostics
DSU: AI/ML algorithms and training
MMU: Monte Carlo simulation

Collaboration »

World Class Facilities

Ge-STAR institutions provide access to cutting-edge labs and tools for Ge growth, detector fabrication, and AI integration—advancing materials science and training future STEM leaders.

Facilities »

Educational Opportunities

Programs:

Undergraduate & graduate research fellowships
ML/AI Summer School (DSU)
ABET-accredited Engineering Physics and CMP tracks
GenCyber Camp for K–12 outreach
Internships and curriculum development

Impact Targets:

84 undergrads, 16 graduate students, 8 postdocs
28 K–12 teachers and 350 students
30% URM and female student recruitment

Outreach & Engagement

Community Activities:

AI summer camps at DSU (including Native American students)
Teacher workshops (QuarkNet, GenCyber)
Public science events: Neutrino Day @SURF, Astronomy Day
YouTube-based Ge detector simulations
Annual Prairie Section APS Meetings

Social Impact Research:

Led by SDSU and Avera on medical imaging accessibility and health outcomes in underserved communities

Ge-STAR
- News
- Science
- Technology
- Collaboration
- Facilities
- Education

Physics links

NSF links

Contact Details

Email: physics@usd.edu

Postal Address:

Department of Physics

Akeley-Lawrence Science Center

414 E. Clark St.

Vermillion, SD 57069

Phone: 605-677-5649

Ge-STAR

NSF

Mission

Science

Collaboration

World Class Facilities

Educational Opportunities

Outreach & Engagement

Ge-STAR

Physics links

NSF links

Contact Details