Experimental Limits on Solar Reflected Dark Matter with a New Approach on Accelerated-Dark-Matter-Electron Analysis in Semiconductors

TL;DR

This paper introduces a velocity components analysis (VCA) method for rapid analysis of accelerated dark matter-electron interactions in semiconductors, demonstrating its effectiveness with germanium detectors and setting new constraints on solar reflected dark matter.

Contribution

The paper presents the first VCA method tailored for accelerated DM-electron analysis and applies it to germanium detectors, achieving unprecedented constraints in certain mass ranges.

Findings

Achieved the first germanium-based constraint on sub-GeV solar reflected DM-electron interaction.

In the heavy mediator scenario, improved constraints by three orders of magnitude for 5-15 keV/c^2 mass range.

Established the strongest laboratory constraints for DM lighter than 0.1 MeV/c^2.

Abstract

Recently a dark matter-electron (DM-electron) paradigm has drawn much attention. Models beyond the standard halo model describing DM accelerated by high energy celestial bodies are under intense examination as well. In this Letter, a velocity components analysis (VCA) method dedicated to swift analysis of accelerated DM-electron interactions via semiconductor detectors is proposed and the first HPGe detector-based accelerated DM-electron analysis is realized. Utilizing the method, the first germanium based constraint on sub-GeV solar reflected DM-electron interaction is presented with the 205.4 kg$\cdot$day dataset from the CDEX-10 experiment. In the heavy mediator scenario, our result excels in the mass range of 5$-$15 keV/$c^2$, achieving a 3 orders of magnitude improvement comparing with previous semiconductor experiments. In the light mediator scenario, the strongest laboratory constraint for DM lighter than 0.1 MeV/$c^2$ is presented. The result proves the feasibility and demonstrates the vast potential of the VCA technique in future accelerated DM-electron analyses with semiconductor detectors.