DarkSide: Latest results and future perspectives (original) (raw)
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Results from the first use of low radioactivity argon in a dark matter search
Physical Review D, 2016
Liquid argon is a bright scintillator with potent particle identification properties, making it an attractive target for direct-detection dark matter searches. The DarkSide-50 dark matter search here reports the first WIMP search results obtained using a target of low-radioactivity argon. DarkSide-50 is a dark matter detector, using two-phase liquid argon time projection chamber, located at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. The underground argon is shown to contain 39 Ar at a level reduced by a factor (1.4 ± 0.2) × 10 3 relative to atmospheric argon. We report a background-free null result from (2616 ± 43) kg d of data, accumulated over 70.9 live-days. When combined with our previous search using an atmospheric argon, the 90 % C.L. upper limit on the WIMP-nucleon spinindependent cross section based on zero events found in the WIMP search regions, is 2.0 × 10 −44 cm 2 (8.6 × 10 −44 cm 2 , 8.0 × 10 −43 cm 2) for a WIMP mass of 100 GeV/c 2 (1 TeV/c 2 , 10 TeV/c 2).
DarkSide-50 Results and the Future Liquid Argon Dark Matter Program
2020
DarkSide uses a dual-phase Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (TPC) to search for WIMP dark matter. The paper will present the latest result on the search for low mass ($M_{WIMP} 100\,Gev/c^2$) WIMPs from the current experiment, DarkSide-50, running since mid 2015 a 50-kg-active-mass TPC, filled with argon from an underground source. The next stage of the DarkSide program will be a new generation experiment involving a global collaboration from all the current Argon based experiments. DarkSide-20k, is designed as a 20-tonne fiducial mass TPC with SiPM based photosensors, expected to be free of any background for an exposure of >100 ton x years. Like its predecessor DarkSide-20k will be housed at the Gran Sasso (LNGS) underground laboratory, and it is expected to attain a WIMP-nucleon cross section exclusion sensitivity of 10−47,cm210^{-47}\,cm^210−47,cm2 for a WIMP mass of 1,TeV/c21\,TeV/c^21,TeV/c2 in a 5 yr run. A subsequent objective, towards the end of the next decade, will be the construction of the ul...
The darkside-50 experiment: A liquid argon target for dark matter particles
Proceedings of the 17th Lomonosov Conference on Elementary Particle Physics - Particle Physics at the Year of Light, 2015
The DarkSide-50 experiment, located at the "Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (INFN)", is based on low-radioactivity argon double phase time pro jection chamber, surrounded by an active liquid scintillator veto, designed for the zero background achievement. The liquid argon features sufficient self shielding and easy scalability to multi-tons scale. The impressive reduction of the 39 Ar iso tope (compared to the atmospheric argon), along with the exc ellent pulse shape discrimination, make this technology a possible candidate for the forthcoming gen eration of multi-ton Dark Matter experiments.
Light yield in DarkSide-10: A prototype two-phase argon TPC for dark matter searches
Astroparticle Physics, 2013
As part of the DarkSide program of direct dark matter searches using liquid argon TPCs, a prototype detector with an active volume containing 10 kg of liquid argon, DarkSide-10, was built and operated underground in the Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy. A critically important parameter for such devices is the scintillation light yield, as photon statistics limits the rejection of electron-recoil backgrounds by pulse shape discrimination. We have measured the light yield of DarkSide-10 using the readily-identifiable full-absorption peaks from gamma ray sources combined with single-photoelectron calibrations using low-occupancy laser pulses. For gamma lines of energies in the range 122-1275 keV, we get consistent light yields averaging 8.887±0.003(stat)±0.444(sys) p.e./keV ee . With additional purification, the light yield measured at 511 keV increased to 9.142±0.006(stat) p.e./keV ee .
The DarkSide Multiton Detector for the Direct Dark Matter Search
Advances in High Energy Physics, 2015
Although the existence of dark matter is supported by many evidences, based on astrophysical measurements, its nature is still completely unknown. One major candidate is represented by weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), which could in principle be detected through their collisions with ordinary nuclei in a sensitive target, producing observable low-energy (<100 keV) nuclear recoils. The DarkSide program aims at the WIPMs detection using a liquid argon time projection chamber (LAr-TPC). In this paper we quickly review the DarkSide program focusing in particular on the next generation experiment DarkSide-G2, a 3.6-ton LAr-TPC. The different detector components are described as well as the improvements needed to scale the detector from DarkSide-50 (50 kg LAr-TPC) up to DarkSide-G2. Finally, the preliminary results on background suppression and expected sensitivity are presented.
First measurement of surface nuclear recoil background for argon dark matter searches
Physical Review D
One major background in direct searches for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) comes from the deposition of radon progeny on detector surfaces. A dangerous surface background is the 206 Pb nuclear recoils produced by 210 Po decays. In this letter, we report the first characterization of this background in liquid argon. The scintillation signal of low energy Pb recoils is measured to be highly quenched in argon, and we estimate that the 103 keV 206 Pb recoil background will produce a signal equal to that of a ∼5 keV (30 keV) electron recoil (40 Ar recoil). In addition, we demonstrate that this dangerous 210 Po surface background can be suppressed, using pulse shape discrimination methods, by a factor of ∼100 or higher, which can make argon dark matter detectors near background-free and enhance their potential for discovery of medium-and high-mass WIMPs. We also discuss the impact on other low background experiments.
DarkSide-50 532-day dark matter search with low-radioactivity argon
Physical Review D
The DarkSide-50 direct-detection dark matter experiment is a dual-phase argon time projection chamber operating at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. This paper reports on the blind analysis of a (16 660 ± 270) kg d exposure using a target of low-radioactivity argon extracted from underground sources. We find no events in the dark matter selection box and set a 90 % C.L. upper limit on the dark matter-nucleon spin-independent cross section of 1.14 × 10 −44 cm 2 (3.78 × 10 −44 cm 2 , 3.43 × 10 −43 cm 2) for a WIMP mass of 100 GeV/c 2 (1 TeV/c 2 , 10 TeV/c 2).
Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2005
We assess the prospects for indirect detection of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles using a large Liquid Argon TPC detector. Signal events will consist of energetic electron (anti)neutrinos coming from the decay of τ leptons and b quarks produced in WIMP annihilation in the core of the Sun. Background contamination from atmospheric neutrinos is expected to be low, thanks to the superb angular resolution and particle identification capabilities provided by the considered experimental set-up. We evaluate the event rates predicted for an annihilating WIMP as a function of its elastic scattering cross section with nucleons. This technique is particularly useful for WIMPs lighter than ∼ 100 GeV.
Astroparticle Physics, 2008
First results from a Dark Matter search with liquid Argon at 87 K in the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory. P. Benetti (a) , R. Acciarri (f) , F. Adamo (b) , B. Baibussinov (g) , M. Baldo-Ceolin (g) , M. Belluco (a) , F. Calaprice (d) , E. Calligarich (a) , M. Cambiaghi (a) , F. Carbonara (b) , F. Cavanna (f) , S. Centro (g) , A.G. Cocco (b) , F. Di Pompeo (f) , N. Ferrari (c) (†) , G. Fiorillo (b) , C. Galbiati (d) , V. Gallo (b) , L. Grandi (a) , A. Ianni (c) , G. Mangano (b) , G. Meng (g) , C. Montanari (a) , O. Palamara (c) , L. Pandola (c) , F. Pietropaolo (g) , G.L. Raselli (a) , M. Rossella (a) , C. Rubbia (a)(+) , A. M. Szelc (e) , S. Ventura (g) and C. Vignoli (a)