# Direct Detection of WIMP Dark Matter: Concepts and Status

## TL;DR

This paper reviews the principles, detector designs, and current status of direct WIMP dark matter detection efforts, highlighting the challenges of low-background experiments and future prospects.

## Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of direct detection concepts, detector technologies, and summarizes the latest developments and outlook in the field.

## Key findings

- Detection techniques for WIMPs are advancing with improved sensitivity.
- Current experiments have set stringent limits on WIMP interaction cross-sections.
- The field is progressing towards more sensitive underground detectors.

## Abstract

The existence of dark matter as evidenced by numerous indirect observations is one of the most important indications that there must be physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. This article reviews the concepts of direct detection of dark matter in the form of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) in ultra-sensitive detectors located in underground laboratories, discusses the expected signatures, detector concepts, and how the stringent low-background requirements are achieved. Finally, it summarizes the current status of the field and provides an outlook on the years to come.