A CsI low temperature detector for dark matter search

TL;DR

This paper explores the use of cryogenic CsI scintillating calorimeters at milli-Kelvin temperatures for dark matter detection, focusing on their particle discrimination and background rejection capabilities.

Contribution

It demonstrates the performance of large CsI crystals as scintillating calorimeters and discusses their potential for background-free dark matter searches using alkali halide crystals.

Findings

Effective particle discrimination achieved through dual signal detection.

CsI crystals show promising calorimetric properties at milli-Kelvin temperatures.

Potential for background-free dark matter detection with this approach.

Abstract

Cryogenic detectors have a long history of success in the field of rare event searches. In particular scintillating calorimeters are very suitable detectors for this task since they provide particle discrimination: the simultaneous detection of the thermal and the light signal produced by a particle interaction in scintillating crystals allows to identify the nature of particle, as the light yield depends thereon. We investigate the performance of two large CsI (undoped) crystals ($\sim$122 g each) operated as scintillating calorimeters at milli-Kelvin temperatures in terms of calorimetric properties and background rejection capabilities. Furthermore, we discuss the feasibility of this detection approach towards a background-free future dark matter experiment based on alkali halides crystals, with active particle discrimination via the two-channel detection.