Prospects of cold dark matter searches with an ultra-low-energy germanium detector

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development of ultra-low-energy germanium detectors for WIMP dark matter searches, achieving 100 eV thresholds, and explores their potential for probing low-mass WIMPs, neutrino interactions, and magnetic moments.

Contribution

It presents the development and initial results of ultra-low-energy germanium detectors with 100 eV thresholds for dark matter and neutrino research.

Findings

Achieved 100 eV energy threshold with a 20 g detector array.

Surface laboratory data shows sensitivity comparable to existing limits for 5-10 GeV WIMPs.

Full-scale detectors could explore new parameter space for low-mass WIMPs and neutrino interactions.

Abstract

The report describes the research program on the development of ultra-low-energy germanium detectors, with emphasis on WIMP dark matter searches. A threshold of 100 eV is achieved with a 20 g detector array, providing a unique probe to the low-mas WIMP. Present data at a surface laboratory is expected to give rise to comparable sensitivities with the existing limits at the $\rm{5 - 10 GeV}$ WIMP-mass range. The projected parameter space to be probed with a full-scale, kilogram mass-range experiment is presented. Such a detector would also allow the studies of neutrino-nucleus coherent scattering and neutrino magnetic moments.