Recent results from the CDMS-II experiment

TL;DR

The CDMS-II experiment uses cryogenic detectors to search for dark matter particles, setting upper limits on interaction cross-sections and developing new detectors to improve future sensitivity.

Contribution

This paper reports the latest results from CDMS-II, including zero candidate events and the development of new detectors for enhanced future dark matter searches.

Findings

Zero candidate events observed in current data

Set upper limits on WIMP-nucleon cross-section

Developed new detectors for increased sensitivity

Abstract

The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search experiment (CDMS) employs low-temperature Ge and Si detectors to detect WIMPs via their elastic scattering interaction with the target nuclei. The current analysis of 397.8 kg-days Ge exposure resulted in zero observed candidate events, setting an upper limit on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross-section of 6.6 x 10^{-44} cm^2 (4.6 x 10^{-44} cm^2, when previous CDMS Soudan data is included) at the 90 % confidence level for a WIMP mass of 60 GeV. To increase the sensitivity, new one inch thick detectors have been developed which will be used in the SuperCDMS phase. SuperCDMS 25kg will be operated at SNOLAB with an expected sensitivity on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon elastic scattering cross-section of 1 x 10^{-45} cm^2.