Conveners
RDC7: Session #1 (Low-Background Detectors)
- Noah Kurinsky (SLAC)
- Guillermo Fernandez Moroni (Fermilab)
- Daniel Baxter (Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory)
RDC7: Session #2
- Guillermo Fernandez Moroni (Fermilab)
- Noah Kurinsky (SLAC)
- Daniel Baxter (Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory)
Skipper-CCDs, with their electron-counting capability, are among the leading technologies in the exploration of the dark sector, with g-size experiments imposing stringent limits on dark sector - standard model particle interactions. In this talk, I will summarize the current status of Oscura, the first massive (10 kg) skipper-CCD array aiming to search for sub-GeV dark matter. I will also...
I will present an update on the SENSEI dark matter experiment and I will highlight any RnD collaboration opportunities we envision as possible.
The only unambiguous way to detect dark matter (DM) scattering in a direct detection experiment is with a detector capable of distinguishing the direction of the incident particles. Even without event-by-event directionality, such a detector can use the daily modulation (or lack thereof) of measured rates to detect (or set strong limits on) DM-electron scattering, even over otherwise-limiting...
The nEXO experiment developing a neutrinoless double beta decay search in liquid xenon enriched in $^{136}\text{Xe}$. nEXO is being designed to have extremely low background near the $Q^{0\nu\beta\beta}$ value ($2457~\text{keV}$) to maximize its sensitivity to this rare decay. Many assay techniques are used to find the lowest background materials possible for nEXOs construction including...
The TESSERACT collaboration will search for dark matter particles below the proton mass through interactions with two types of novel, ultra-sensitive detectors, These detectors, SPICE & HeRALD, aim to provide leading sensitivities to low mass dark matter candidates. The HeRALD experiment will use superfluid He4 as a target material, which is an ideal kinematic match for dark matter nuclear...
CUPID is a proposed next-generation experiment that will search for neutrinoless double-β (0νββ) decay in $^{100}$Mo using ~1600 Li$_2$$^{100}$MoO$_4$ scintillating crystals operated as low-temperature calorimeters close to ∼10mK. It will leverage the crystal’s energy loss mechanism to tag particle type by simultaneously measuring the thermal and scintillation signals. We will use an auxiliary...
Non-linear kinetic inductance (NLKI) enables engineering sensitive devices that operate at the quantum limit. This talk will cover kinetic inductance traveling wave parametric amplifiers (KI-TWPAs) and spectrometers being developed at JPL and Caltech. With relation to KI-TWPAs we will also showcase a hidden photon search experiment QUantum LImited PHotons In the Dark Experiment (QUALIPHIDE)...
My group is developing a prototype liquid 3He-based scintillation detector with a TES readout to precisely measure neutron fluxes in low-background experiments. Until now, efforts to determine neutron backgrounds focus around simulations of the neutron environment without experimental comparison. The high sensitivity to low-energy neutrons provided by the 3He(n,p) process makes our prototype...
Detection of nuclear recoil events plays a central role in dark matter and neutrino scatter experiments. Precise nuclear recoil calibration data allow the responses of these detectors to be characterized and enable in situ evaluation of an experiment's sensitivity to anticipated signals. Using a few examples, we discuss the main experimental factors that are critical for accurate nuclear...
Abstract: The search for increasingly low-mass (sub-GeV) dark matter motivates the development of detectors with sub-eV energy thresholds. Quantum sensors such as superconducting qubits have demonstrated great promise in this regime. Particle interactions in the substrate of these devices can generate phonons and liberate charge carriers. Propagation of these events can induce a...
In order to utilize qubits as particle detectors, understanding energy dissipation in qubit substrate (Silicon and Sapphire) through electron-hole pair generation and phonon kinematics is essential. These mechanisms are strongly associated with correlated errors in qubit chips, as observed in cosmic muon and gamma ray absorption events reported recently. We present our work on phonon...
In recent years, Transition Edge Sensors (TES) have been developed and used in a variety of experiments, such as low-energy Dark Matter (DM) searches, high sensitivity astroparticle measurements, and quantum information devices. For ultra-sensitive light DM direct detection and infrared photon sensing, TES with low superconducting transition temperatures (Tc) and low dark counts are required....
A major obstacle in the search for detection of meV-scale rare events is demonstrating sufficiently low energy detection thresholds in order to detect recoils from light dark matter particles. Many detector concepts have been proposed to achieve this goal, which often include novel detector target media or sensor technology. A universal challenge in understanding the signals from these new...
Readout cables for signal sensors are a necessary component of rare event searches for neutrinoless double beta decay and particle-like dark matter. While possessing unique mechanical and electrical properties, polyimide-based flexible cables can be a significant contributor to the total detector background, due to their relatively high content of natural radionuclides. Contaminations of ...
Radon is a key problem for many low-background experiments and emanation assays are essential tools to select detector materials and characterize these events. Emanation in cryogenic liquids will be important for coming neutrino and dark matter experiments where both temperature and surface properties will determine the radon level. In this talk a radon emanation bench, taking advantage of...
Rigorous radioactive background constraints are necessary for rare-event search experiments to meet their sensitivity goals. Underground facilities provide ideal attenuation of cosmic radiation, shielding materials around the detectors are used to mitigate backgrounds from soil, and extensive radioassay campaigns are performed to source the most radiopure materials. To reduce the impact of...
