Superconducting detectors for rare event searches in experimental astroparticle physics

TL;DR

Superconducting detectors are crucial in astroparticle physics for rare event searches like dark matter detection and neutrinoless double beta decay, with ongoing advancements in sensor technology and experimental applications.

Contribution

This review comprehensively covers the development, types, and future prospects of superconducting detectors in rare event searches within astroparticle physics.

Findings

Superconducting detectors show high sensitivity for dark matter detection.

They are effectively used in neutrinoless double beta decay experiments.

Future experiments will expand their application scope.

Abstract

Superconducting detectors have become an important tool in experimental astroparticle physics, which seeks to provide a fundamental understanding of the Universe. In particular, such detectors have demonstrated excellent potential in two challenging research areas involving rare event search experiments, namely, the direct detection of dark matter and the search for neutrinoless double beta decay. Here, we review the superconducting detectors that have been and are planned to be used in these two categories of experiments. We first provide brief histories of the two research areas and outline their significance and challenges in astroparticle physics. Then, we present an extensive overview of various types of superconducting detectors with a focus on sensor technologies and detector physics, which are based on calorimetric measurements and heat flow in the detector components. Finally, we introduce leading experiments and discuss their future prospects for the detection of dark matter and the search for neutrinoless double beta decay employing superconducting detectors.