Results on sub-GeV Dark Matter from a 10 eV Threshold CRESST-III Silicon Detector

• Published in: arXiv.org
• Main Authors: Collaboration, CRESST, Angloher, G, Banik, S, Benato, G, Bento, A, Bertolini, A, Breier, R, Bucci, C, Burkhart, J, Canonica, L, D'Addabbo, A, S Di Lorenzo, Einfalt, L, Erb, A, Feilitzsch, F v, N Ferreiro Iachellini, Fichtinger, S, Fuchs, D, Fuss, A, Garai, A, Ghete, V M, Gerster, S, Gorla, P, Guillaumon, P V, Gupta, S, Hauff, D, Ješkovský, M, Jochum, J, Kaznacheeva, M, Kinast, A, Kluck, H, Kraus, H, Langenkämper, A, Mancuso, M, Marini, L, Meyer, L, Mokina, V, Nilima, A, Olmi, M, Ortmann, T, Pagliarone, C, Pattavina, L, Petricca, F, Potzel, W, Povinec, P, Pröbst, F, Pucci, F, Reindl, F, Rothe, J, Schäffner, K, Schieck, J, Schmiedmayer, D, Schönert, S, Schwertner, C, Stahlberg, M, Stodolsky, L, Strandhagen, C, Strauss, R, Usherov, I, Wagner, F, Willers, M, Zema, V
• Format: Paper Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 23.06.2023
• Subjects: Crystal surfaces; Dark matter; Energy resolution; Physics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics; Radiation counters; Silicon
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2212.12513

We present limits on the spin-independent interaction cross section of dark matter particles with silicon nuclei, derived from data taken with a cryogenic calorimeter with 0.35 g target mass operated in the CRESST-III experiment. A baseline nuclear recoil energy resolution of \((1.36\pm 0.05)\) eV\(_{\text{nr}}\), currently the lowest reported for macroscopic particle detectors, and a corresponding energy threshold of \((10.0\pm 0.2)\) eV\(_{\text{nr}}\) have been achieved, improving the sensitivity to light dark matter particles with masses below 160 MeV/c\(^2\) by a factor of up to 20 compared to previous results. We characterize the observed low energy excess, and we exclude noise triggers and radioactive contaminations on the crystal surfaces as dominant contributions.