Na-based crystal scintillators for next-generation rare event searches

TL;DR

This paper explores Na-based crystal scintillators, specifically Na2Mo2O7 and Na2W2O7, for dark matter detection, demonstrating their promising energy resolution, light yield, and particle identification capabilities to clarify DAMA/LIBRA results.

Contribution

First measurement of Na-containing crystals other than NaI, showing their potential for dark matter searches with improved performance metrics.

Findings

Na2Mo2O7 and Na2W2O7 exhibit excellent energy resolution.

These crystals demonstrate high light yield and effective particle identification.

Potential to clarify the DAMA/LIBRA dark matter signal.

Abstract

The growing interest in clarifying the controversial situation in the Dark Matter sector has driven the experimental efforts towards new ways to investigate the long-standing DAMA/LIBRA result. Among them, low-temperature calorimeters based on Na-containing scintillating crystals offer the possibility to clarify the nature of the measured signal via particle identification. Here we report the first measurement of Na-containing crystals, based on material different from NaI, i.e. Na$_2$Mo$_2$O$_7$ and Na$_2$W$_2$O$_7$, pointing out their excellent performance in term of energy resolution, light yield, and particle identification.