The SuperCDMS Research Program at SMU

多项天文观测已经确定，宇宙中大约85%的物质不是由正常原子组成的，而是不发射或吸收光的未被检测到的基本“暗物质”粒子。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，那么它们在我们星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。直接探测WIMP暗物质将解决粒子物理学和宇宙学中的一个基本谜团，为了解宇宙的主要物质组成和粒子物理学标准模型之外的物理学提供了一个独特的窗口。该奖项的教育目标将是为SMU的本科生创造研究机会，并促进与北德克萨斯社区的关系。从事该项目的学生和博士后学者将在低温物理学，高能物理学和天体物理学，模拟技术和数据分析技术方面获得强有力的科学和教育准备。北德克萨斯社区将受益于获得教师和学生谁将担任导师在各种programmes.The研究计划在SMU致力于推进SuperCDMS SNOLAB实验朝着探索低质量（10 GeV）暗物质区域的目标与探测器由Ge和Si晶体在超灵敏的高压模式和标准电压模式下运行。SuperCDMS必须保持受控的低背景环境。在今后三年中，必须实现一些关键的里程碑，以推进这一计划。这包括最终确定屏蔽设计、背景估计、材料选择、实验建设和分析开发。该项目涉及几项活动，将有助于实现这些里程碑的合作：开发用于高级统计分析的背景模型，开发低能区探测器校准算法，以及使用SMU XIA α粒子计数器对SuperCDMS SNOLAB项目的材料和探测器组件进行表面分析。

Multiple astronomical observations have established that about 85% of the matter in the universe is not made of normal atoms, but must be otherwise undetected elementary "dark matter" particles that do not emit or absorb light. 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. Direct detection of WIMP dark matter would solve a fundamental mystery in particle physics and cosmology, providing a unique window to learning about the primary matter constituent of the Universe and of physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics.The educational objective of this award will be to create research opportunities for undergraduate students at SMU and foster relationships with the North Texas community. Students and postdoctoral scholars working on this project will receive strong scientific and educational preparation in the techniques of low temperature physics, high energy physics and astrophysics, simulation techniques and the analysis of data. The North Texas community will benefit from access to faculty and students who will serve as mentors in a variety of programs.The research program at SMU is dedicated to advancing the SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment towards its goal of exploring the low mass ( 10 GeV) dark matter region with detectors made of Ge and Si crystals operated in both an ultra-sensitive high-voltage mode and standard voltage mode. SuperCDMS must maintain a controlled low background environment. During the next three years, a number of critical milestones must be achieved to advance this program. This includes the finalization of shield designs, background estimations, material selection, experiment construction and analysis development. This project involves several activities which will assist the collaboration towards meeting these milestones: development of background models for use in advanced statistical analyses, development of algorithms for calibration of detectors in the low energy region and surface assay of materials and detector components with the SMU XIA alpha particle counter for the SuperCDMS SNOLAB project.