Enhancement of the screening effect in semiconductor detectors in the presence of the neutrino magnetic moment

TL;DR

This paper develops a theoretical model for neutrino electron excitation in semiconductor detectors, highlighting how screening effects significantly enhance detection sensitivity to neutrino magnetic moments, potentially surpassing current experimental limits.

Contribution

First to incorporate screening effects into the theoretical framework of neutrino excitation in semiconductors, improving sensitivity estimates for neutrino magnetic moments.

Findings

Screening effect dramatically enhances excitation rates from neutrino magnetic moments.

Sensitivity to neutrino magnetic moments can reach 10^{-13} μ_B, surpassing current limits.

Theoretical framework applies to both Standard Model and magnetic moment scenarios.

Abstract

The theoretical framework of the neutrino electron excitation at low energies including the screening effect in semiconductor detectors is developed for the first time, both in the Standard Model and in the presence of the neutrino magnetic moment. We explore the contribution of the screening effect of semiconductors to the neutrino electron excitation based on the linear response theory and calculate the corresponding numerical results. We show that excitation rates from the neutrino magnetic moment are dramatically enhanced {by} the screening effect and the sensitivity can be significantly improved to the level of $10^{-13}\,\mu_{\rm B}$, much better than the current {laboratory and astrophysical} limits.