Thermal detector model for cryogenic composite detectors for the dark matter experiments CRESST and EURECA

TL;DR

This paper presents a detailed thermal detector model for cryogenic composite detectors used in dark matter experiments CRESST and EURECA, enabling better understanding and optimization of detector performance.

Contribution

A novel thermal detector model specifically accounting for composite detector design, facilitating improved detector development for dark matter searches.

Findings

Model helps optimize detector performance.

Decouples TES fabrication from absorber design.

Supports mass production of detectors.

Abstract

The CRESST (Cryogenic Rare Event Search with Superconducting Thermometers) and the EURECA (European Underground Rare Event Calorimeter Array) experiments are direct dark matter search experiments where cryogenic detectors are used to detect spin-independent, coherent WIMP (Weakly Interacting Massive Particle)-nucleon scattering events by means of the recoil energy. The cryogenic detectors use a massive single crystal as absorber which is equipped with a TES (transition edge sensor) for signal read-out. They are operated at mK-temperatures. In order to enable a mass production of these detectors, as needed for the EURECA experiment, a so-called composite detector design (CDD) that allows decoupling of the TES fabrication from the optimization procedure of the absorber single-crystal was developed and studied. To further investigate, understand and optimize the performance of composite detectors a detailed thermal detector model which takes into account the CDD has been developed.