Dark Matter and Neutrino Physics with Cryogenic Detectors

多个天文观测已经确定，宇宙中大约85%的物质不是由已知粒子组成的。破译这种所谓的暗物质的性质对宇宙学、天体物理学和高能粒子物理学具有根本的重要性。一个主要的假设是，它是由弱相互作用大质量粒子（WIMP）组成的，这些粒子是在大爆炸后产生的。如果WIMP是暗物质，那么它们在银河系中的存在可能是通过位于地下深处的探测器中的原子核散射来检测的，以帮助排除宇宙射线造成的背景。低温暗物质搜索（CDMS）合作组织率先使用低温声子介导的探测器来检测WIMP在原子核上的罕见散射，并将它们与背景区分开来。这项工作将产生广泛的影响，超出了暗物质的搜索。该奖项将为三项活动提供资金：--超级CDMS Soudan实验目前正在收集数据，其对质量低于5千兆电子伏（GeV）的暗物质具有世界领先的灵敏度。该实验将在明年继续收集数据，并在未来两年对数据进行全套不同的分析。麻省理工学院在低门槛分析中发挥了领导作用，并将继续这样做。- 在下一代实验的设计、原型制作、测试和调试中发挥核心作用。--研制新的低阈值、低本底探测器并制作原型，其灵敏度足以覆盖所有可用的暗物质参数空间，质量在1-10 GeV之间，直至太阳中微子的不可约本底。该奖项将有助于培养本科生、研究生和博士后研究人员。通过参加麻省理工学院的暑期研究项目，继续该组织在指导来自代表性不足群体的本科生方面的积极参与。

Multiple astronomical observations have established that about 85% of the matter in the universe is not made of known particles. Deciphering the nature of this so-called Dark Matter is of fundamental importance to cosmology, astrophysics, and high-energy particle physics. A leading hypothesis is that it is comprised of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, or WIMPs, that were produced moments after the Big Bang. If WIMPs are the dark matter, then their presence in our galaxy may be detectable via scattering from atomic nuclei in detectors located deep underground to help reject backgrounds due to cosmic rays.The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) Collaboration has pioneered the use of low temperature phonon-mediated detectors to detect the rare scattering of WIMPs on nuclei and distinguish them from backgrounds. This work will have a broad impact which extends beyond the dark matter search. The technical developments will further advance phonon-mediated detectors, which have already found many applications in science and technology.This award will provide funds for three activities:-- The SuperCDMS Soudan experiment is currently taking data which will have world-leading sensitivity to dark matter for masses below 5 gigaelectronvolt (GeV). The experiment will continue taking data next year, and the full set of different analyses of the data will take place over the next two years. MIT has taken a leadership role in the low-threshold analysis, and will continue to do so. -- Play a central role in the design, prototyping, testing, and commissioning of the next-generation experiment. -- Develop and prototype new low-threshold, low-background detectors with enough sensitivity to cover all the available dark matter parameter space for masses between 1-10 GeV down to the irreducible background from solar neutrinos.This award will contribute to the training of undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, continuing the group's strong involvement in mentoring undergraduates from underrepresented groups by participating in the MIT Summer Research Program.