J. I. Collar

Results from a Search for Light-Mass Dark Matter with a p -Type Point Contact Germanium Detector

We report on several features in the energy spectrum from an ultralow-noise germanium detector operated deep underground. By implementing a new technique able to reject surface events, a number of cosmogenic peaks can be observed for the first time. We discuss an irreducible excess of bulklike events below 3 keV in ionization energy. These could be caused by unknown backgrounds, but also dark matter interactions consistent with DAMA/LIBRA. It is not yet possible to determine their origin. Improved constraints are placed on a cosmological origin for the DAMA/LIBRA effect.

CoGeNT: A Search for Low-Mass Dark Matter using p-type Point Contact Germanium Detectors

CoGeNT employs

An improved limit on the axion–photon coupling from the CAST experiment

p

First Dark Matter Search Results from a 4-kg CF

-type point-contact (PPC) germanium detectors to search for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). By virtue of its low-energy threshold and ability to reject surface backgrounds, this type of device allows an emphasis on low-mass dark matter candidates (

_3

{m}_{\ensuremath{\chi}}\ensuremath{\sim}10\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}/{c}^{2}

I Bubble Chamber Operated in a Deep Underground Site

). We report on the characteristics of the PPC detector presently taking data at the Soudan Underground Laboratory, elaborating on aspects of shielding, data acquisition, instrumental stability, data analysis, and background estimation. A detailed background model is used to investigate the low-energy excess of events previously reported and to assess the possibility of temporal modulations in the low-energy event rate. Extensive simulations of all presently known backgrounds do not provide a viable background explanation for the excess of low-energy events in the CoGeNT data or the previously observed temporal variation in the event rate. Also reported for the first time is a determination of the surface (slow pulse rise time) event contamination in the data as a function of energy. We conclude that the CoGeNT detector technology is well suited to search for the annual modulation signature expected from dark matter particle interactions in the region of WIMP mass and coupling favored by the DAMA/LIBRA results.

Dark Matter Search Results from the PICO-2L C3F8 Bubble Chamber

We have searched for solar axions or similar particles that couple to two photons by using the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) setup with improved conditions in all detectors. From the absence of excess X-rays when the magnet was pointing to the Sun, we set an upper limit on the axion-photon coupling of 8.8 x 10^{-11} GeV^{-1} at 95% CL for m_a<~ 0.02 eV. This result is the best experimental limit over a broad range of axion masses and for m_a<~ 0.02 eV also supersedes the previous limit derived from energy-loss arguments on globular-cluster stars.

Large-mass ultralow noise germanium detectors: performance and applications in neutrino and astroparticle physics

New data are reported from the operation of a 4.0 kg CF{sub 3}I bubble chamber in the 6800 foot deep SNOLAB underground laboratory. The effectiveness of ultrasound analysis in discriminating alpha decay background events from single nuclear recoils has been confirmed, with a lower bound of >99.3% rejection of alpha decay events. Twenty single nuclear recoil event candidates and three multiple bubble events were observed during a total exposure of 553 kg-days distributed over three different bubble nucleation thresholds. The effective exposure for single bubble recoil-like events was 437.4 kg-days. A neutron background internal to the apparatus, of known origin, is estimated to account for five single nuclear recoil events and is consistent with the observed rate of multiple bubble events. This observation provides world best direct detection constraints on WIMP-proton spin-dependent scattering for WIMP masses >20 GeV/c{sup 2} and demonstrates significant sensitivity for spin-independent interactions.

Comment on "Evidence for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay"

New data are reported from the operation of a 2 liter C3F8 bubble chamber in the SNOLAB underground laboratory, with a total exposure of 211.5 kg days at four different energy thresholds below 10 keV. These data show that C3F8 provides excellent electron-recoil and alpha rejection capabilities at very low thresholds. The chamber exhibits an electron-recoil sensitivity of <3.5×10(-10) and an alpha rejection factor of >98.2%. These data also include the first observation of a dependence of acoustic signal on alpha energy. Twelve single nuclear recoil event candidates were observed during the run. The candidate events exhibit timing characteristics that are not consistent with the hypothesis of a uniform time distribution, and no evidence for a dark matter signal is claimed. These data provide the most sensitive direct detection constraints on WIMP-proton spin-dependent scattering to date, with significant sensitivity at low WIMP masses for spin-independent WIMP-nucleon scattering.

Consistent dark matter interpretation for CoGeNT and DAMA/LIBRA

A new type of radiation detector, a p-type modified electrode germanium diode, is presented. It is shown that the prototype displays, for the first time, a combination of features (mass, energy threshold and background expectation) required for a measurement of coherent neutrino–nucleus scattering in a nuclear reactor experiment. First results are presented from its calibration using sub-kiloelectronvolt nuclear recoils similar to those expected from reactor antineutrinos or light WIMPs (weakly interacting massive particles) beyond the reach of present detectors. The device hybridizes the mass and energy resolution of a conventional HPGe coaxial gamma spectrometer with the low electronic noise and threshold of a small x-ray semiconductor detector, also displaying an intrinsic ability to distinguish multiple-site from single-site particle interactions. The present performance of the prototype and possible further improvements are discussed, as well as other applications for this new type of device in neutrino and astroparticle physics (double-beta decay, neutrino magnetic moment and novel WIMP searches).