• Nuclear, Particle, Astroparticle and Cosmology (NUPAC) Seminars

October 29, 2024 2:00 PM - October 29, 2024 3:00 PM
PAIS 3205

Host:

Dinesh Loomba

Presenter:

Dr. Caleb W. Fink (LANL)

Recent advancements in low-threshold detector technology have enabled the particle physics community to explore physics at new energy scales, particularly in the quest for dark matter below the MeV scale. However, traditional solid-state particle detectors, utilizing materials such as silicon and germanium in conjunction with superconducting sensors like transition edge sensors, are approaching fundamental sensitivity limits. To overcome these challenges, there is significant potential in harnessing novel quantum sensors for enhanced sensitivity and expanded reach in dark matter detection.

In this seminar, I will provide an overview of the current landscape of low-mass dark matter detection, highlighting the innovative sensor technologies being developed for the next generation of searches. Additionally, I will present our preliminary results from the SPLENDOR Experiment, which focuses on detecting low-mass dark matter using newly synthesized narrow bandgap semiconductors at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Lastly, I will discuss our progress on developing superconducting qubit-based phonon-sensitive detectors, which hold promise for further advancing out sensitivity to even lower dark matter masses.