Speaker
Description
The search for light dark matter (LDM) particles became possible in recent years mainly thanks to the progress on two different fronts. First, new detection channels were exploited such as the Migdal effect and LDM–electron scattering. Second, new detection techniques were implemented such as the ionization-only channel with a low threshold and argon depleted from the 39Ar β-emitter by cryogenic distillation. The current generation of dark matter detectors employing dual-phase time projection chambers is not well optimized for the detection of LDM particles. Based on the experience of the DarkSide-50 experiment and the construction of its successor DarkSide-20k, a conceptual design for a new medium-sized detector, DarkSide-LowMass, as well as its sensitivity will be presented. A wide range of masses from 10 GeV/c2 down to 10 MeV/c2 can be tested covering a significant and previously unreachable part of the parameter space and even touching the solar neutrino fog. Special attention is paid to the spurious electron background that imposes an effective analysis threshold and strongly affects DarkSide-LowMass’s sensitivity.
