Direct Search for Low Mass Dark Matter Particles with CCDs

TL;DR

This paper reports on a direct search for low-mass dark matter particles using high-resistivity CCD detectors with very low detection thresholds, demonstrating the technology's potential in detecting particles around 5 GeV.

Contribution

It introduces the use of fully-depleted high-resistivity CCDs for low-mass dark matter detection and presents initial results from an engineering run.

Findings

Detection threshold of 40 eV achieved

Potential to detect dark matter particles around 5 GeV

Successful demonstration of CCD technology in underground environment

Abstract

A direct dark matter search is performed using fully-depleted high-resistivity CCD detectors . Due to their low electronic readout noise (RMS ~ 7 eV) these devices operate with a very low detection threshold of 40 eV, making the search for dark matter particles with low masses (~ 5 GeV) possible. The results of an engineering run performed in a shallow underground site are presented, demonstrating the potential of this technology in the low mass region.