TREX-DM: a low-background Micromegas-based TPC for low-mass WIMP detection

Iguaz, F.J. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Garza, J.G. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Aznar, F. ; Castel, J.F. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Cebrián, S. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Dafni, T. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; García, J.A. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Irastorza, I.G. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Lagraba, A. ; Luzón, G. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Peiró, A.

Resumen: If Dark Matter is made of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) with masses below~20 GeV, the corresponding nuclear recoils in mainstream WIMP experiments are of energies too close, or below, the experimental threshold. Gas Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) can be operated with a variety of target elements, offer good tracking capabilities and, on account of the amplification in gas, very lowthresholds are achievable. Recent advances in electronics and in novel radiopure TPC readouts, especially micro-mesh gas structure (Micromegas), are improving the scalability and low-background prospects of gaseous TPCs. Here we present TREX-DM, a prototype to test the concept of a Micromegasbased TPC to search for low-mass WIMPs. The detector is designed to host an active mass of ~0.300 kg of Ar at 10 bar, or alternatively ~0.160 kg of Ne at 10 bar, with an energy threshold below 0.4 keVee, and is fully built with radiopure materials. We will describe the detector in detail, the results from the commissioning phase on surface, as well as a preliminary background model. The anticipated sensitivity of this technique may go beyond current experimental limits for WIMPs of masses of 2–8 GeV.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-016-4372-6

Año: 2016

Publicado en: The European Physical Journal C 76, 529 (2016), [28 pp.]
ISSN: 1434-6044

Factor impacto JCR: 5.331 (2016)

Categ. JCR: PHYSICS, PARTICLES & FIELDS rank: 4 / 29 = 0.138 (2016) - Q1 - T1

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 1.653 - Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Engineering (miscellaneous) (Q1)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/ 240054/EU/Novel Developments in Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) for Rare Event Searches in Underground Astroparticle EXperiments/TREX
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO-FEDER/FPA2011-24058
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/FPA2013-41085-P
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/UZ/JIUZ-2014-CIE-02

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Proy. investigación HCA (Dpto. Física Teórica)
Área (Departamento): Área Física Atóm.Molec.y Nucl. (Dpto. Física Teórica)