Konstantin Sukharnikov Scientific instrumentation

CV

Profile

Detector electronics engineer with more than 10 years of experience in instrumentation for free-electron laser and accelerator facilities, with hands-on work on X-ray detectors and sensors (DEPFET, LGAD). I take detector and instrument electronics from requirements through design, integration and commissioning to safe operation.

Work package leader for electronics development in detector development projects at European XFEL. Appointed VEFK for the detector laboratories. Executive PhD candidate in Engineering Physics and Materials at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, working on test instrumentation and AI-assisted model-based systems engineering for X-ray detectors.

Experience

2023 – present
Engineer for Detector Electronics
European XFEL, Germany · Detectors Group
  • Project leadership: work package leader for electronics development in detector development projects.
  • Test systems: led the design, assembly and commissioning of a test setup for single readout chips and new X-ray sensors, including power control, temperature regulation, Karabo integration and DAQ.
  • Detector integration: commissioned the AGIPD 4M cabling, power-supply interlock and motion system at the SPB/SFX instrument. Supported DSSC installation and operation at SCS.
  • Calibration instrumentation: developed the JUNGFRAU backplane pulser, moving it from an ESP32 to a Zynq SoC platform, and a GOTTHARD-II calibration device.
  • Electronics development: took fast X-ray detector electronics from concept to working unit: schematics, PCB layout, prototyping and documentation.
  • ASIC design: since 2025, architecture design of an analogue front-end for a pixel readout ASIC.
  • Methods and process: introduced MBSE with SysML v2, an AI-assisted engineering workflow and a structured PCB development process to the group’s electronics projects. Coach colleagues in AI-assisted engineering.
  • Electrical safety: VEFK and ESP for the detector laboratories. Responsible for DGUV V3 inspections and for procedures for high-voltage and high-current setups.
2016 – 2023
Instrument Engineer
European XFEL, Germany · Scientific Instruments HED and MID
  • Managed the full lifecycle of instrument electronics, from requirements definition to integration and operation.
  • Requirements engineer for the HED and MID instruments: gathered the scientists’ needs and turned them into formal technical specifications.
  • Ran trade-off analyses (function, cost, quality, schedule) for the evaluation and procurement of critical instrument components.
  • Designated electrical safety responsible (Elektrofachkraft) for instrument electronics and infrastructure under DGUV regulations.
  • Coordinated system integration: electronics deployment, cable routing and electromechanical components.
  • Designed and built custom devices: amplifiers, motion control, equipment-protection interlocks and power supplies.
  • Verified and validated commercial and in-house equipment against requirements.
2012 – 2016
Engineer
Tomsk Polytechnic University, Russia · Laboratory of High-Current Betatrons
  • Designed control systems for high-current betatrons: schematics, PCB layout and MCU firmware.
  • Developed power converters and power electronics for accelerator operation.
  • Commissioned, validated and troubleshot betatron installations for industrial non-destructive testing.
2010 – 2011
Technician
Tomsk Polytechnic University / V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics, Russia

Developed timing systems for metal vapour lasers.

Education

2025 – present
Executive PhD in Engineering Physics and Materials (in progress)
Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy

PhD candidate. Research on test instrumentation and AI-assisted model-based systems engineering for X-ray detectors.

2011 – 2013
M.Sc., Electronic Control and Diagnostic Systems in Engineering and Medicine
Tomsk Polytechnic University, Russia

Exchange semester 2011–2012, INFOTECH programme, University of Stuttgart, Germany.

2007 – 2011
B.Sc., Electronics and Microelectronics
Tomsk Polytechnic University, Russia

Includes the vocational qualification “Electronics technician for electronic devices and systems” (2010).

Certifications and appointments

Professional training

Skills

Electronics design

  • Mixed-signal MCU and FPGA/SoC devices (Xilinx Zynq)
  • DAQ hardware
  • Switching power converters up to 500 W
  • PCB design: Altium Designer, KiCad
  • Analogue ASIC design fundamentals: Cadence Virtuoso
  • Troubleshooting, verification and validation

Systems engineering

  • Requirements engineering
  • Trade-off analysis
  • Verification and validation
  • MBSE with SysML v2
  • AI-assisted engineering workflows

Software and controls

  • C for ARM MCUs with RTOS
  • Python: automation, test, Karabo devices
  • Git
  • Beckhoff PLC / TwinCAT (basic)

Installation and mechanical

  • Cable and installation planning: EPLAN
  • DGUV V3 testing
  • 3D modelling and drawings: Solid Edge, SolidWorks

Languages

  • Russian — native
  • English — C1
  • German — C1 (DSD certificate)

Teaching

  • Teaching assistant, Tomsk Polytechnic University: Mathematical Fundamentals of Signal Processing (2014), C Programming (2013)

Publications

Co-authored papers and conference proceedings, newest first.

  1. A. Schmidt, G. Ansaldi, A. Bartmann, U. Boesenberg, J. Hallmann, A. Madsen, J. Möller, K. Sukharnikov Multiple Detector Stage at the MID Instrument of European XFEL. Proc. MEDSI2023, WEPPP012. JACoW, 2024. doi:10.18429/JACoW-MEDSI2023-WEPPP012
  2. F. Sohn, W. Ehsan, G. Giovanetti, D. Goeries, I. Karpics, K. Sukharnikov Automatic Configuration of Motors at the European XFEL. Proc. ICALEPCS2023, THPDP024. JACoW, 2023. doi:10.18429/JACoW-ICALEPCS2023-THPDP024
  3. U. Zastrau, K. Appel, C. Baehtz, …, K. Sukharnikov, … (56 authors) The High Energy Density Scientific Instrument at the European XFEL. J. Synchrotron Rad. 28(5), 1393–1416, 2021. doi:10.1107/S1600577521007335
  4. A. Madsen, J. Hallmann, G. Ansaldi, …, K. Sukharnikov, … (18 authors) Materials Imaging and Dynamics (MID) instrument at the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser Facility. J. Synchrotron Rad. 28(2), 637–649, 2021. doi:10.1107/S1600577521001302
  5. T. R. Preston, S. Göde, J.-P. Schwinkendorf, …, K. Sukharnikov, … (36 authors) Design and performance characterisation of the HAPG von Hámos Spectrometer at the High Energy Density Instrument of the European XFEL. JINST 15, P11033, 2020. doi:10.1088/1748-0221/15/11/P11033
  6. M. M. Rychkov, V. V. Kaplin, K. V. Sukharnikov, I. K. Vas’kovskii Generation of X rays at the grazing incidence of 18-MeV electrons on a thin Si crystal in a betatron chamber. JETP Letters 103(11), 723–727, 2016. doi:10.1134/S0021364016110114

Glossary

AGIPD
Adaptive Gain Integrating Pixel Detector, a megapixel X-ray detector at European XFEL
DSSC
DEPFET Sensor with Signal Compression, a soft X-ray imaging detector
DEPFET
Depleted p-channel field-effect transistor, a pixel sensor with built-in amplification
LGAD
Low-gain avalanche diode
JUNGFRAU, GOTTHARD-II
X-ray detectors developed at the Paul Scherrer Institute
DAQ
Data acquisition
ASIC
Application-specific integrated circuit, a custom chip; here, the readout chip of a pixel detector
JINST, JACoW
Journal of Instrumentation; Joint Accelerator Conferences Website, the publisher of accelerator conference proceedings
Karabo
The control and data acquisition software framework of European XFEL
HED, MID, SPB/SFX, SCS
European XFEL scientific instruments: High Energy Density; Materials Imaging and Dynamics; Single Particles, Clusters and Biomolecules & Serial Femtosecond Crystallography; Spectroscopy and Coherent Scattering
MBSE, SysML v2
Model-based systems engineering; Systems Modeling Language, version 2
VEFK
Verantwortliche Elektrofachkraft: the person responsible for electrical safety in an organisational unit under German rules
EFK
Elektrofachkraft: electrically skilled person
DGUV V3
German accident-prevention regulation for electrical installations and equipment, including their periodic inspection