# Spectral and optical properties of Ag$_3$Au(Se$_2$,Te$_2$) and dark matter detection

## TL;DR

This study investigates the electronic and optical properties of Ag3AuSe2 and Ag3AuTe2, highlighting Ag3AuSe2's potential as a dark matter detector material due to its small band gap and low Fermi velocities.

## Contribution

It provides a first-principles analysis of these materials' electronic structures and optical conductivities, proposing Ag3AuSe2 as a promising candidate for light dark matter detection.

## Key findings

- Ag3AuSe2 has a direct narrow gap at the Γ point.
- Ag3AuTe2 can transition into a metal under certain conditions.
- Ag3AuSe2 exhibits properties suitable for dark matter detection.

## Abstract

In this work we study the electronic structure of Ag${}_3$AuSe${}_2$ and Ag${}_3$AuTe${}_2$, two chiral insulators whose gap can be tuned through small changes in the lattice parameter by applying hydrostatic pressure or choosing different growth protocols. Based on first principles calculations we compute their band structure for different values of the lattice parameters and show that while Ag${}_3$AuSe${}_2$ retains its direct narrow gap at the $\Gamma$ point, Ag${}_3$AuTe${}_2$ can turn into a metal. Focusing on Ag${}_3$AuSe${}_2$ we derive a low energy model around $\Gamma$ using group theory, which we use to calculate the optical conductivity for different values of the lattice constant. We discuss our results in the context of detection of light dark matter particles, which have masses of the order of a $k$eV, and conclude that Ag${}_3$AuSe${}_2$ satisfies three important requirements for a suitable detector: small Fermi velocities, $m$eV band gap and low photon screening. Our work motivates the growth of high-quality and large samples of Ag${}_3$AuSe${}_2$ to be used as target materials in dark matter detectors.