The 50-CCD Tower of DAMIC-M to Search for Light Dark Matter Particles

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

Dark matter (DM) is ubiquitous yet invisible. It has an enormous influence in our Universe: it binds together galaxy clusters, makes stars move faster around their galaxy, drove the large-scale structure in the galaxies' distribution in the Universe and left an unequivocal imprint in the cosmic microwave background power spectrum. Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), relics from the early Universe, are a compelling explanation chased by sensitive experiments in deep underground laboratories. However, searches for the theoretically-favored heavy WIMPs (about 100 times the proton mass) have been so far unsuccessful. Nor has evidence for such particles been found at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Alternative scenarios are now emerging, including the existence of a hidden sector of lighter DM particles that can only be observed from their interactions with electrons. The DAMIC program searches for DM candidates beyond the heavy WIMP hypothesis by detecting nuclear and electronic recoils induced by low-mass DM particles in the bulk silicon of charge-coupled devices (CCDs). The DAMIC experiment at SNOLAB is currently in operation and has already established itself as one of the most sensitive detectors for low-mass DM particles. The next step in the program is DAMIC-M: a 50-CCD detector of 1 kg target mass at the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane (LSM) in France. This award provides funding to support the activities of the DAMIC-M group at the University of Washington. The activities at UW will bring together a diverse group of participants to collaborate in an international setting in the development and construction of a cutting-edge scientific apparatus. The experience will provide students with the experimental foundation necessary to have a significant impact in a larger collaborative setting as they progress in their careers. The cohort of participants will come from a variety of programs in the Seattle area and the Pacific Northwest that implement active recruitment strategies to enhance diversity. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.