Searching for dark matter with the DarkSide direct detection experiment

DarkSide-20 k实验是一个新的实验，旨在通过探测器中的氩原子核对来自太空的暗物质粒子的弹性散射来探测暗物质。这种相互作用导致在双相液氩中的keV-MeV范围内的能量存款，这产生闪烁信号和电离信号。这些信号一起被用来提供强大的脉冲形状歧视，允许分离的核反冲预期从暗物质相互作用的背景过程伪造这些信号。该项目旨在通过开发新的多变量数据工作流程和统计分析来定义和优化该实验中暗物质信号的预期灵敏度，这些工作流程和统计分析将有关探测器和信号/背景模型的最大信息纳入其中。这些方法将在考虑到分析数据的重现性和重新解释潜力的情况下进行。将研究DarkSide-20 k对一系列非标准暗物质相互作用模型敏感的潜力，并优化开发的工作流程，以最大限度地提高理论模型空间的灵敏度。为了支持这一努力，学生将开发和改进现有的模拟光发射，运输和检测暗物质和放射性背景过程中的黑暗面。作为这项工作的一部分，学生将有助于这些尖端原型探测器的组装，参与原型的数据采集班次，随后分析表征这些传感器的数据，以更新模拟并为DarkSide-20 k实验的传感器调试做出贡献。

The DarkSide-20k experiment is a new experiment aiming to detect dark matter via elastic scattering of dark matter particles from space on argon nuclei in the detector. This interaction results in an energy deposit in the keV-MeV range in the dual-phase liquid argon which produces a scintillation signal and an ionisation signal. Together these signals are used to provide powerful pulse shape discrimination allowing separation of nuclear recoils expected from dark matter interactions from background processes faking these signals. This project aims to define and optimise the expected sensitivity of dark matter signals in this experiment through the development of new multivariate data workflows and statistical analysis that incorporate maximal information about the detector and signal/background models. These methods will be performed with reproducibility and the reinterpretation potential of analysed data in mind. The potential for DarkSide-20k to be sensitive to a range of non-standard dark matter interaction models will be studied, and the developed workflows will be optimized to maximize sensitivity across the theoretical model space. To support this effort, the student will develop and improve existing simulations of light emission, transport, and detection in DarkSide from dark matter and radioactive background processes. As part of this work, the student will contribute to the assembly of these cutting-edge prototype detectors, participate in data-taking shifts with the prototype, and subsequently analyse data characterising these sensors toward updating simulations and contributing to the commissioning of sensors for the DarkSide-20k experiment.