The Search for Light Dark Matter with DAMIC

与 DAMIC 一起寻找光暗物质

• 批准号: 1806974
• 负责人: Paolo Privitera
• 金额: $ 66.96万
• 依托单位: University of Chicago
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-08-15 至 2022-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1806974&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Search; Light; Dark; Matter; DAMIC

There is strong cosmological and astrophysical evidence for cold dark matter as a major constituent of the universe. A compelling explanation is the existence of hitherto unknown Weakly-Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), and a world-wide experimental effort is on-going to test this hypothesis. The nature of Dark Matter, so far elusive, constitutes one of the most fundamental questions in science. Its discovery as a yet unknown particle would have profound implications in our understanding of the universe, and open new directions in particle physics and cosmology. With this award the DAMIC program will search for DM candidates beyond the heavy WIMP hypothesis by detecting nuclear and electronic recoils induced by light DM in charge coupled devices (CCDs). The DAMIC experiment currently in operation at SNOLAB has demonstrated unique sensitivity for low-mass DM particles. Immersive research experiences, engagement of the local community and innovative partnerships will bring DM science to formal and informal audiences. Research experiences developed in collaboration with programs focused on underrepresented groups - e.g., U. Chicago and Fisk-Vanderbilt Bridge - will enhance diversity at the graduate and undergraduate levels. The local community will be broadly engaged in Chicago by integrating high school URM students of the Space Explorers Program and of the STEM Science Inquiry and Research program in a stimulating research environment, by enhancing the RISE program for URM middle-school students and by communicating science to older adults via the Life-long Learning program.DAMIC at SNOLAB will stride to the forefront in the search for low-mass (5 times the proton mass) WIMPs by the end of 2018. DAMIC-M will capitalize on the DAMIC experience at SNOLAB and, at the same time, take a giant leap forward in sensitivity by radically innovating the detector technology. Its 36 Mpixel CCDs will be the most massive ever built, 20 g each. A novel concept for signal readout - based on the averaging of repetitive, uncorrelated measurements of the pixel charge - will result in the high-resolution detection of single electrons. By counting individual charges in a detector with extremely low leakage current - a combination unmatched by any other DM experiment - DAMIC-M will break new ground in the exploration of the hidden sector, which may be rewarded with serendipitous discovery.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

有强有力的宇宙学和天体物理学证据表明冷暗物质是宇宙的主要组成部分。一个令人信服的解释是迄今为止未知的弱相互作用大质量粒子（WIMPs）的存在，世界范围内的实验努力正在测试这一假设。暗物质的性质，迄今为止难以捉摸，构成了科学中最基本的问题之一。它作为一种未知粒子的发现将对我们理解宇宙产生深远的影响，并为粒子物理学和宇宙学开辟新的方向。有了这个奖项，DAMIC计划将通过检测电荷耦合器件（CCD）中由轻DM引起的核和电子反冲来寻找超出重WIMP假设的DM候选者。目前在SNOLAB运行的DAMIC实验已经证明了对低质量DM粒子的独特灵敏度。沉浸式的研究经验，当地社区的参与和创新的伙伴关系将使DM科学的正式和非正式的观众。与专注于代表性不足群体的项目合作开发的研究经验-例如，联合芝加哥和菲斯克范德比尔特桥-将提高在研究生和本科层次的多样性。当地社区将广泛参与芝加哥，将太空探索者计划和STEM科学调查和研究计划的高中URM学生融入到一个刺激的研究环境中，通过加强URM中学生的RISE计划，并通过终身学习计划向老年人传播科学。SNOLAB的DAMIC将在寻找低质量（质子质量的5倍）WIMP。DAMIC-M将利用DAMIC在SNOLAB的经验，同时通过彻底创新探测器技术，在灵敏度方面实现巨大飞跃。它的36 Mpixel CCD将是有史以来最大的，每个20 g。一种新的信号读出概念--基于像素电荷的重复、不相关测量的平均值--将导致对单个电子的高分辨率检测。DAMIC-M通过在极低漏电流的探测器中计数单个电荷--这是任何其他DM实验都无法比拟的组合--将在探索隐藏扇区方面开辟新天地，这可能会以偶然发现作为奖励。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

Electron ionization via dark matter-electron scattering and the Migdal effect

• DOI: 10.1103/physrevd.101.076014
• 发表时间: 2019-07
• 期刊: Physical Review D
• 影响因子: 5
• 作者: D. Baxter;Y. Kahn;G. Krnjaic

Cosmogenic activation of silicon

硅的宇宙活化

• DOI: 10.1103/physrevd.102.102006
• 发表时间: 2020
• 期刊: Physical Review D
• 影响因子: 5
• 作者: Saldanha, R.;Thomas, R.;Tsang, R. H. M.;Chavarria, A. E.;Bunker, R.;Burnett, J. L.;Elliott, S. R.;Matalon, A.;Mitra, P.;Piers, A.
• 通讯作者: Piers, A.

Dark matter interpretation of excesses in multiple direct detection experiments

• DOI: 10.1103/physrevd.102.015017
• 发表时间: 2020-02
• 期刊: Physical Review D
• 影响因子: 5
• 作者: N. Kurinsky;D. Baxter;Y. Kahn;G. Krnjaic

Measurement of the bulk radioactive contamination of detector-grade silicon with DAMIC at SNOLAB

• DOI: 10.1088/1748-0221/16/06/p06019
• 发表时间: 2020-11
• 期刊: Journal of Instrumentation
• 影响因子: 1.3
• 作者: A. Aguilar-Arevalo;D. Amidei;D. Baxter;G. Cancelo;B. C. Cervantes Vergara;A. Chavarria;Elise Darragh-Ford;J. D'Olivo;J. Estrada;F. Favela-Pérez;R. Gaïor;Y. Guardincerri;T. Hossbach;B. Kilminster;I. Lawson;S.J. Lee;A. Letessier-Selvon;A. Matalon;P. Mitra;A. Piers;P. Privitera;K. Ramanathan;J. Da Rocha;Youssef Sarkis Mobarak;M. Settimo;R. Smida;R. Thomas;J. Tiffenberg;M. Traina;R. Vilar;A. L. Virto

Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering at the European Spallation Source

• DOI: 10.1007/jhep02(2020)123
• 发表时间: 2019-11
• 期刊: Journal of High Energy Physics
• 影响因子: 5.4
• 作者: D. Baxter;J. Collar;P. Coloma;C. Dahl;C. Dahl;I. Esteban;P. Ferrario;P. Ferrario;J. J. Gómez-Cadenas-J.;J. J. Gómez-Cadenas-J.;M. Gonzalez-Garcia;A. Kavner;C. Lewis;F. Monrabal;F. Monrabal;J. Vidal;P. Privitera;K. Ramanathan;J. Renner