Results on photon-mediated dark matter-nucleus interactions from the PICO-60 C$_{3}$F$_{8}$ bubble chamber

TL;DR

This paper reports new experimental limits on photon-mediated dark matter interactions with nuclei, using data from the PICO-60 bubble chamber to constrain models involving multipole couplings across a range of dark matter masses.

Contribution

It provides the first limits on photon-mediated dark matter-nucleus interactions using the PICO-60 detector within an effective field theory framework.

Findings

Set limits on dark matter couplings for masses 2.7-24 GeV/c²

Used 52 kg of C₃F₈ with thresholds of 2.45 and 3.29 keV

Achieved exposures of 1404 and 1167 kg-day

Abstract

Many compelling models predict dark matter coupling to the electromagnetic current through higher multipole interactions, while remaining electrically neutral. Different multipole couplings have been studied, among them anapole moment, electric and magnetic dipole moments, and millicharge. This study sets limits on the couplings for these photon-mediated interactions using non-relativistic contact operators in an effective field theory framework. Using data from the PICO-60 bubble chamber leading limits for dark matter masses between 2.7 GeV/c$^2$ and 24 GeV/c$^2$ are reported for the coupling of these photon-mediated dark matter-nucleus interactions. The detector was filled with 52 kg of C$_3$F$_8$ operating at thermodynamic thresholds of 2.45 keV and 3.29 keV, reaching exposures of 1404 kg-day and 1167 kg-day, respectively.