Particle Physics in Birmingham

Particle Physics Seminar

Wednesday 2nd June 2021 at 13:30
ZOOM

(virtual coffee served at 13:15)

Probing 10 orders of DM mass using CCDs : New results from DAMIC and prospects for DAMIC-M

Ben Kilminster (Zurich University)


Abstract

The DAMIC (Dark Matter in CCDs) experiment uses CCD detectors to search for the direct interaction of galactic dark matter. Scientific CCD detectors provide an unprecedented low energy threshold and spatial resolution to probe for light dark matter. Given the current lack of evidence for a WIMP of mass around the weak scale, DAMIC focuses its search on lighter WIMPs, as well as the interaction of hidden-sector photons that could mediate the interaction of DM or even comprise DM. The current experiment, DAMIC@SNOLAB pioneered the search for hidden-photon interactions of DM and set world-leading constraints for low-mass WIMPs with a silicon-based target. The next experiment, DAMIC-M at LSM (Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane in France) will be sensitive to never-before probed potential DM models, covering a broad range of models spanning from eV to 10 TeV. In this talk, exciting new results from DAMIC@SNOLAB and prospects from DAMIC-M will be presented.