# Constraints on Light Dark Matter Particles Interacting with Electrons from DAMIC at SNOLAB

## TL;DR

This paper presents new direct-detection constraints on light dark matter particles interacting with electrons, using the DAMIC detector's ultra-low leakage current to explore previously untested parameter space for masses from 0.6 to 100 MeV/c² and hidden-photon dark matter.

## Contribution

It introduces a novel detection method leveraging DAMIC's low leakage current to constrain light dark matter interactions with electrons and hidden photons.

## Key findings

- Constraints on dark matter masses between 0.6 and 100 MeV/c².
- New limits on hidden-photon dark matter in the 1.2-30 eV/c² range.
- Demonstrates the effectiveness of leakage current analysis for dark matter detection.

## Abstract

We report direct-detection constraints on light dark matter particles interacting with electrons. The results are based on a method that exploits the extremely low levels of leakage current of the DAMIC detector at SNOLAB of 2-6$\times$10$^{-22}$ A cm$^{-2}$. We evaluate the charge distribution of pixels that collect $<10~\rm{e^-}$ for contributions beyond the leakage current that may be attributed to dark matter interactions. Constraints are placed on so-far unexplored parameter space for dark matter masses between 0.6 and 100 MeV$c^{-2}$. We also present new constraints on hidden-photon dark matter with masses in the range $1.2$-$30$ eV$c^{-2}$.