Resonant search for the X17 boson at PADME

TL;DR

The paper evaluates PADME's potential to detect a 17 MeV light boson, specifically addressing the ATOMKI anomaly, through resonant production in positron-electron interactions, promising comprehensive coverage of the parameter space.

Contribution

It presents an analysis of PADME's experimental reach for discovering a light boson around 17 MeV, focusing on resonant production and parameter space coverage.

Findings

PADME can thoroughly probe the 17 MeV boson parameter space.

A few months of data taking suffice for full coverage in the spin-1 boson case.

The experiment can confirm or refute the ATOMKI anomaly interpretation.

Abstract

We discuss the experimental reach of the Frascati PADME experiment in searching for new light bosons via their resonant production in positron annihilation on fixed target atomic electrons. A scan in the mass range around 17 MeV will thoroughly probe the particle physics interpretation of the anomaly observed by the ATOMKI nuclear physics experiment. In particular, for the case of a spin-1 boson, the viable parameter space can be fully covered in a few months of data taking.