Description
The nature of dark matter remains one of the most compelling open questions in particle physics. Although overwhelming gravitational evidence supports its existence, no direct detection via non-gravitational interactions has yet been achieved. Among the proposed candidates, Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) are strongly motivated theoretically. Extensive experimental efforts have excluded a significant portion of the WIMP parameter space (defined by mass and interaction cross section with baryonic matter) particularly in the high-mass region. Current searches are increasingly focused on the low-mass regime, which remains comparatively unexplored and requires enhanced detector sensitivity.
This work investigates the response of Liquid Argon (LAr) to low-energy nuclear recoils, aiming to improve signal characterization and background discrimination in this challenging region. A detailed understanding of LAr behavior at low energies is essential to enhance the sensitivity of the upcoming DarkSide-20k experiment, a dual-phase liquid argon time projection chamber designed for the direct detection of WIMPs.
| Speaker information | PhD 1st year |
|---|