Hunting Nonstandard Neutrino Interactions and Leptoquarks in Dark Matter Experiments

TL;DR

Future dark matter detection experiments can significantly advance the search for nonstandard neutrino interactions and leptoquarks, surpassing collider limits and providing new insights into neutrino properties and beyond Standard Model physics.

Contribution

This paper demonstrates the potential of next-generation dark matter experiments to probe scalar-mediated neutrino interactions and leptoquark models, setting first limits and exploring new detector materials.

Findings

LUX-ZEPLIN data constrains leptoquark models affecting neutrino interactions.

Future experiments like ARGO and DARWIN can explore parameter space beyond collider reach.

Lead-based detectors offer new avenues for testing neutrino nonstandard interactions.

Abstract

Next generation direct dark matter (DM) detection experiments will have unprecedented capabilities to explore coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$\nu$NS) complementary to dedicated neutrino experiments. We demonstrate that future DM experiments can effectively probe nonstandard neutrino interactions (NSI) mediated by scalar fields in the scattering of solar and atmospheric neutrinos. We set first limits on $S_1$ leptoquark models that result in sizable $\mu-d$ and $\tau-d$ sector neutrino NSI CE$\nu$NS contributions using LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) data. As we show, near future DM experiments reaching $\sim \mathcal{O}(100)$ton-year exposure, such as argon-based ARGO and xenon-based DARWIN, can probe parameter space of leptoquarks beyond the reach of current and planned collider facilities. We also analyze for the first time prospects for testing NSI in lead-based detectors. We discuss the ability of leptoquarks in the parameter space of interest to also explain the neutrino masses and $(g-2)_\mu$ observations.