Speaker
Description
In various extensions of the Standard Model (SM) that incorporate an additional
U(1)′ gauge symmetry, the dark photon (A′) emerges as a compelling candidate
for dark matter. This hypothetical particle can interact with Standard Model par-
ticles via kinetic mixing with the standard photon, thus serving as a potential
portal to the dark sector. Theoretical interest in dark photons is driven by their
potential to explain dark matter's observed gravitational effects and their impli-
cations for new physics beyond the SM. Nuclear reactors, being intense sources
of photons, provide a promising environment to search for dark photons. Reac-
tor-based experiments offer unique opportunities to study these interactions, sig-
nificantly enhancing our ability to probe the fundamental properties of dark mat-
ter. A particularly effective approach is to investigate Compton-like scattering
processes, facilitating both the production and detection of dark photons through
electron interactions. These interactions are particularly promising to study be-
cause they could yield observable signals in the form of ionization events within
the sub-keV energy range, where modern detectors, such as high-purity germa-
nium, are highly sensitive. In this work, we investigate dark photon interactions
and presents preliminary constraints on the coupling strength and mass of the
dark photon at the 90% confidence level, using sub-keV threshold data collected
with a germanium detector at Kuo-Sheng Neutrino Laboratory, Taiwan.
| Field of contribution | Experiment |
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