Testing spin-dependent dark matter interactions with lithium aluminate targets in CRESST-III

TL;DR

This paper reports new experimental limits on spin-dependent dark matter interactions using lithium aluminate targets in the CRESST-III cryogenic detector, focusing on low-mass dark matter particles between 0.25 and 1.5 GeV/c².

Contribution

First results demonstrating the use of LiAlO₂ scintillating crystals in CRESST-III to set leading limits on spin-dependent dark matter interactions with protons and neutrons.

Findings

Established strongest upper limits on spin-dependent cross sections for dark matter with protons and neutrons.

Utilized isotopic composition of lithium to differentiate interaction sensitivities.

Operated two detector modules with 10.46 g LiAlO₂ targets in CRESST-III.

Abstract

In the past decades, numerous experiments have emerged to unveil the nature of dark matter, one of the most discussed open questions in modern particle physics. Among them, the CRESST experiment, located at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, operates scintillating crystals as cryogenic phonon detectors. In this work, we present first results from the operation of two detector modules which both have 10.46 g LiAlO$_2$ targets in CRESST-III. The lithium contents in the crystal are $^6$Li, with an odd number of protons and neutrons, and $^7$Li, with an odd number of protons. By considering both isotopes of lithium and $^{27}$Al, we set the currently strongest cross section upper limits on spin-dependent interaction of dark matter with protons and neutrons for the mass region between 0.25 and 1.5 GeV/c$^2$.