Detector Optimization for SuperCDMS and Other Experiments.

计划编号：0801712机构：Santa Clara UniversityNSF项目：物理-粒子天体物理学项目负责人：Young， Betty a .标题：超级cdms和其他实验的探测器优化。对星系、超星系团、遥远超新星和宇宙微波背景辐射的观测告诉我们，宇宙中约85%的物质不是由普通粒子组成的，而是以某种黑暗的形式存在的。破译暗物质的本质对宇宙学、天体物理学和高能粒子物理学具有根本性的重要性。一个主要的假设是，它是由大爆炸后瞬间产生的弱相互作用大质量粒子（wimp）组成的。如果wimp是暗物质，那么它们在我们银河系中的存在可能会通过地球探测器的原子核散射而被探测到。低温暗物质搜索（CDMS）合作率先使用低温声子介导的探测器来探测核上罕见的wimp散射，并将它们与背景区分开来。有了这项强大的技术，在明尼苏达州的苏丹矿的地下深处运行，他们已经取得了世界领先的成就，在CDMSII中，预计灵敏度将达到100 GeV/c2的wimp，比他们公布的最佳极限高出8倍。圣克拉拉大学的这项提案要求基础计划支持，这将允许(a)完成CDMSII实验，该实验已在苏丹矿完全建成并获取科学数据，(b)在苏丹的CDMSII基础设施中测试和地下操作两个新的超级塔，？每个探测器由六个下一代探测器组成，以及(c)长期研发的适度努力，为可能的后续实验开发和测试新的硬件和探测器。从更广泛的影响来看，技术的发展将推动声子介导探测器的发展，使其具有越来越多的应用。此外，超级cdms合作将继续支持在苏丹开展的公众宣传项目，该项目每年接待数千名游客参观该矿和实验室。

PROPOSAL NUMBER: 0801712INSTITUTION: Santa Clara UniversityNSF PROGRAM: PHY - PARTICLE ASTROPHYSICSPRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Young, Betty A.TITLE: Detector Optimization for SuperCDMS and Other Experiments. ABSTRACTObservations of galaxies, superclusters, distant supernovae and the cosmic microwave background radiation tell us that ~85% of the matter in the universe is not made of ordinary particles, but exists in some dark form. Deciphering the nature of this 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 (WIMPs) that were produced moments after the Big Bang. If WIMPs are the dark matter, then their presence in our Milky Way may be detectable via scattering from atomic nuclei in a terrestrial detector. 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. With this powerful technology, operating deep underground in the Soudan mine in Minnesota, they have a world-leading effort with a projected sensitivity reach for 100 GeV/c2 WIMPs in CDMSII of a factor of eight beyond their best published limit. This proposal from Santa Clara University requests base-program support which will allow for (a) the completion of the CDMSII experiment, which is fully constructed and acquiring science data at the Soudan Mine, (b) the testing and underground operation in the CDMSII infrastructure at Soudan of two new ?SuperTowers,? each comprised of six next-generation detectors, and (c) a modest effort of long-range R&D to develop and test new hardware and detectors for possible follow-up experiments. Concerning Broader Impacts, the technical development will push the envelope of phonon-mediated detectors which have increasing applications. In addition, the SuperCDMS collaboration will continue its support of the public outreach program at Soudan, which hosts thousands of visitors each year for tours of the mine and laboratory.