15th International Conference on Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics, TAUP2017

Backgrounds in the planned SuperCDMS SNOLAB dark matter experiment

25 Jul 2017, 16:45

15m

LOWER FRASER FA054

Contributed talk Dark Matter Dark Matter

Speaker

John L. Orrell (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

Description

The planned SuperCDMS SNOLAB dark matter experiment will seek direct detection of WIMP-like dark matter with masses in the 0.5-10 GeV/c${}^2$ mass range. The experiment will employ four types of cryogenic radiation detectors sensitive to phonon and ionization signals. At the lowest recoil energies electron recoil backgrounds are expected to limit the cross section reach to ~10${}^{-43}$ cm${}^2$ near 1 GeV/c${}^2$ dark matter mass. At higher recoil energies electron recoil and nuclear recoils are distinguishable on an event-by-event basis and it is expected for some recoil energy ranges solar neutrinos scattering coherently off detector nuclei will be the limiting background. This presentation will review the primary backgrounds expected in the SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment, detailing their sources, and respective contributions. Discussion will include measures planned to mitigate and control the most significant background sources.

Presentation materials

TAUP-2017-SCDMS-Orrell-v2.pdf