QUEST-DMC: Low-Threshold Dark Matter Detection in Superfluid Helium-3 Using Quantum Sensors

by Elizabeth Leason

Wednesday 8 Jul 2026, 13:30 → 14:30 Europe/London

Small Lecture Theatre (Poynting)

Superfluid helium-3 bolometers can exploit the extremely low superfluid gap (10-7 eV) to give ultra-low energy threshold dark matter direct detection searches. This gives the potential to probe dark matter models with sub-GeV/c2 masses, in particular offering world-leading sensitivity to spin-dependent interactions. Realising this requires operation at ultra-low temperatures in the 100s uK regime, where helium-3 in the B phase has extremely low specific heat, coupled with low noise detector readout. QUEST-DMC measurements of quasiparticle density in superfluid helium-3, using novel vibrating wire resonators and SQUID readout, will be presented. I will show resonator characterisation, energy calibration strategies and multiple resonator readout schemes, in addition to recently measured energy spectra in comparison with Monte Carlo simulations.