Characterization of the phonon sensor of the CRYOSEL detector with IR photons

TL;DR

This paper explores a novel phonon sensor for the CRYOSEL detector that uses a superconducting device to detect phonons generated by electron-hole pairs, aiming to improve dark matter detection sensitivity.

Contribution

It introduces a new sensor technology using SSED to detect phonons via the Neganov-Trofimov-Luke effect in cryogenic germanium detectors.

Findings

Sensor response to IR laser pulses demonstrated

Potential for background suppression in dark matter searches

Relevance of the sensor technology confirmed

Abstract

The sensitivities of light Dark Matter (DM) particle searches with cryogenic detectors are mostly limited by large backgrounds of events that do not produce ionization signal. The CRYOSEL project develops a new technique where this background in a germanium cryogenic detector is rejected by using the signals from a Superconducting Single Electron Device (SSED) sensor designed to detect the phonons emitted through the Neganov-Trofimov-Luke effect by the e$^-$h$^+$ pairs as they drift in a close-by very high-field region. A tag on signals from this device should suppress the heat-only background. The measurement of the response to IR laser pulses of the first CRYOSEL prototype show the relevance of such sensor technology.