Speaker
Description
Authors: L. Pesce on behalf of the collaboration
BULLKID is a novel detector concept based on an array of particle absorbers
sensed by multiplexed Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs). The aim of this
detector is to control the backgrounds by creating a fully active structure and
by applying fiducialization techniques.
Following the encouraging results from a 20 g prototype detector, here we
present the first operation of 3-wafer demonstrator array (for a total of 60 g
and 180 silicon dice), operated on surface with a mild shield. The recorded
background is here compared with Geant4 simulations conducted by the collaboration.
Currently, the collaboration is focused on building BULLKID-DM, a new experiment
aimed at searching for hypothetical WIMP-like Dark-Matter particles
with mass around 1 GeV or below and cross-section with nucleons smaller than
$10^{-41}\,\mathrm{cm^2}$. The target of the BULLKID-DM experiment consists of a stack of
BULLKID detectors and will amount to a total of 800 g subdivided in more
than 2000 silicon dice.
Aside from BULLKID-DM, several R&D activities are currently focused on enhancing energy resolution and adapting the detector technology to germanium substrates. On one hand, improving the baseline energy resolution is essential to increase sensitivity toward increasingly lower-mass dark matter candidates. To this end, we present a new KID design featuring integrated phonon collectors, which has demonstrated enhanced responsivity, potentially paving the way for further improvements in this direction. Concurrently, adapting the BULLKID technology to germanium substrates is imperative for a possible CE$\nu$NS experiment, where a higher target mass is required. While promising initial results have already been achieved, we present here the studies on the potential of a germanium-based BULLKID array.
Finally, we present the foreseen timeline and commissioning of the BULLKID-DM
experiment, which will be deployed in the Gran Sasso national laboratories.