The muon is recognized as a sensitive probe of internal magnetic fields in the area of condensed matter physics. A detailed understanding of how the muon interacts with it host is a critical step in interpreting all experimental results from muon spin rotation.

In metals or superconductors the positive charge is screened by free carriers and the interpretation is straight forward-the muon  simply monitors the local magnetic field. However, when a positive muon is implanted into an insulator or semiconductor the situation may be more complicated. Electron hole- pairs are created during the muon implantation and the resulting free charges may interact with the muon.

In some cases small polarons are formed, which are characterized by a significant lattice distortion. The positive muon may interact or even bind one of the polarons it creates. The project is to help design and test of an apparatus to detect and identify muon-polaron bound complexes using the technique of muon spin rotation.