Dark Matter Searches beyond the WIMP and Upgrading the Trigger and DAQ System at SuperCDMS SNOLAB

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Belina von Krosigk
• Subject Area: Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Relativity, Fields
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 420484612

The laws of gravity are one of the best tested fundamental laws of physics with tremendous success in explaining large scale phenomena. At the same time compelling evidence for deviations from these laws exists from astrophysical observations which points to the existence of a new type of matter, so-called Dark Matter. While there is increasing evidence for the presence of Dark Matter, its particle constituents have yet to be discovered. Plausible Dark Matter candidates include Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), Dark Photons and Light Dark Matter (LDM).The proposed Emmy Noether Group (ENG) will search for Dark Photons and LDM at the SuperCDMS experiment in Canada. It will further extend the physics reach of all Dark Matter searches planned at SuperCDMS by improving the data acquisition (DAQ) and trigger system. The proposed ENG will be hosted by the University of Hamburg and will be located at the campus at DESY Hamburg.SuperCDMS uses cryogenic germanium and silicon detectors to directly search for Dark Matter, especially for WIMPs. It is currently being built at SNOLAB in Canada. Data-taking will start in 2020.The analyses conducted by the proposed ENG will not only allow to set limits on Dark Photon and LDM couplings that are stronger than existing ones but they will also allow for Dark Matter particle discovery. Past Dark Matter searches on so-called SuperCDMS HV detectors did not have discovery potential lacking a complete background model for this kind of detector. The capability of being world-leading in the proposed Dark Photon and LDM searches is further driven by the energy resolution and threshold of the detectors. The current SuperCDMS design, though, is not yet exploiting the full potential of the experiment. The resolution and threshold can be further improved by an upgrade of the DAQ and trigger system which will unavoidably increase the sensitivity of any science planned at SuperCDMS. During the first half of the funding period the proposed ENG will develop such a trigger upgrade based on cross-correlated multi-channel optimal filtering at the hardware level. During the second half of the funding period the proposed ENG will develop a DAQ upgrade to include R&D detectors into the low-background SuperCDMS set-up. Such an upgrade will for instance enable joint projects with collaborations following a similar detection approach, like EDELWEISS or CRESST. Throughout the entire funding period the proposed ENG will develop and carry out data analyses. To reach an analysis threshold matching the trigger threshold machine learning methods will be used for efficient event classification.With the proposed project the ENG will play a significant role within SuperCDMS in both data analyses and detector performance. It will help maximize the science reach of the entire SuperCDMS project and will contribute unique insights to the worldwide quest for Dark Matter.

• DFG Programme: Independent Junior Research Groups