Advancing the Direct Search for Dark Matter
by
Berry Lecture Theatre
Despite compelling astrophysical evidence for dark matter, a definitive detection in a terrestrial experiment has yet to be made. Dual-phase liquid xenon time projection chambers have achieved world-leading sensitivities to interactions between dark matter particles and ordinary matter. One such experiment, XENONnT, located at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy, operates with a total of 5.9 tonnes of ultra-pure liquid xenon. I will present results from its latest search for excess nuclear recoils induced by weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), based on data from the first two science runs with a combined exposure of 3.1 tonne-years.
Looking ahead, the XLZD collaboration aims to extend this technology further by constructing a detector containing 40–60 tonnes of liquid xenon. Several technical challenges remain, one of which is being addressed using the large-scale vertical demonstrator — Xenoscope — operated at the University of Zürich. This system, spanning 2.6 meters in height, was recently upgraded to accommodate a full-length time projection chamber. I will discuss its first commissioning data and outline future plans for the facility, including the validation of novel detector technologies and dedicated physics studies.
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