Dark matter searches by the Boulby Collaboration and liquid xenon prototype development

The current status of direct dark matter searches by the Boulby Dark Matter Collaboration is presented with the latest result from the ZePLiN I liquid xenon detector. An upper limit in the interaction cross section per nucleon of ～1×10^?6 pb for a WIMP mass of 100 GeV is found. Details of ZePLiN’s II and III—two future liquid xenon dark matter are presented. Extensive two-phase liquid-gas xenon prototype work has been undertaken and results of characterization studies are presented. The detector response to internal alpha and external gamma and neutron sources is shown. The potential discrimination power of the two-phase technique is displayed. Finally, prospects for the future dark matter search program are discussed.     

PandaX实验的进展与展望

PandaX是位于四川的中国锦屏地下实验室（CJPL）内的,利用氙作为工作物质,探测暗物质等其它极稀有事件的大型地下粒子探测实验计划。PandaX探测器中的氙工作在气液两相的模式。通过检测液相和气相中闪烁光强的比例,实现对目标粒子包括WIMP和Axion等疑似信号的鉴别。PandaX已顺利完成了有效区体积约为120 kg氙的一期计划,目前正在运行实施有效区体积约为500 kg氙的二期计划。在WIMP质量为45 GeV/c2附近,探测灵敏度达2.97×10-45 cm2（90%置信度）,没有发现WIMP疑似信号。本工作介绍了PandaX一期和二期的进展,以及后续升级计划,其中包括升级PandaX的时间投影室至4吨,建造用于屏蔽岩石放射性本底的水屏蔽,以及136Xe双贝塔衰变的研究计划等。PandaX is a xenon-based dark matter and other rare events searching project located at China JinPing underground Laboratory (CJPL), Sichuan province, China. Dual phases, liquid and gas phase of xenon are used in the detector. Particles, including Weak Interaction Massive Particles (WIMPs) or axions etc., may induce scintillating signals in both liquid (S1 signal) and gas (S2 signal) phases, and then are identified by analyzing the ratio of S1 and S2. The PandaX had completed its first stage, the 120 kg in fiducial volume, and now is running in its stage Ⅱ with fiducial volume of 500 kg. The running results show that the WIMP-matter cross section detecting sensitivity of about 2.97×10-45 cm2(90% C.L.) has been achieved at a WIMP mass of 44.7 GeV/c2, and no WIMP candidates are identified. The upgrading plan of the PandaX is discussed, which include to build a larger Time project chamber (TPC) of about 4 tons, a water tank for radiation shielding, and the plan of 136Xe double beta decay studies.     

Dark matter results from 100 live days of XENON100 data

We present results from the direct search for dark matter with the XENON100 detector, installed underground at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso of INFN, Italy. XENON100 is a two-phase time-projection chamber with a 62 kg liquid xenon target. Interaction vertex reconstruction in three dimensions with millimeter precision allows the selection of only the innermost 48 kg as the ultralow background fiducial target. In 100.9 live days of data, acquired between January and June 2010, no evidence for dark matter is found. Three candidate events were observed in the signal region with an expected background of (1.8 ± 0.6) events. This leads to the most stringent limit on dark matter interactions today, excluding spin-independent elastic weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) nucleon scattering cross sections above 7.0 × 10(-45) cm(2) for a WIMP mass of 50 GeV/c(2) at 90% confidence level.     

Development of a two-phase xenon dark matter detector

The current status of the development study focused on building a novel two-phase xenon detector for dark matter search is described. Discrimination of the radioactive background is based on particle identification that comes from the analysis of the scintillation-to-ionization ratio. Electroluminescence (proportional scintillation) is used for “amplification” of the ionization signal.     

Development of the liquid level meters for the PandaX dark matter detector

The two-phase xenon detector is at the frontier of dark matter direct search. This kind of detector uses liquid xenon as the sensitive target and is operated in two-phase （liquid/gas） mode, where the liquid level needs to be monitored and controlled in sub-millimeter precision. In this paper, we present a detailed design and study of two kinds of level meters for the PandaX dark matter detector. The long level meter is used to monitor the overall liquid level while short level meters are used to monitor the inclination of the detector. These level meters are cylindrical capacitors that are custom-made from two concentric metal tubes. Their capacitance values are read out by a universal transducer interface chip and are recorded by the PandaX slow control system. We present the developments that lead to level meters with long-term stability and sub-millimeter precision. Fluctuations （standard deviations） of less than 0.02 mm for the short level meters and less than 0.2 mm for the long level meter were achieved during a few days of test operation.     

The status of XMASS experiment

The XMASS project utilizes ultrapure liquid xenon and aims to detect pp and ⁷Be solar neutrinos by means of ν _e e scattering. It requires low background and a low threshold, which will also enable us to search for dark matter in the Galactic halo. By using a prototype detector, we have confirmed its feasibility to realize low background and low threshold. We have estimated the sensitivity of an 800-kg liquid-xenon detector for a dark matter search experiment based on the experimental results. for the XMASS Collaboration The text was submitted by the author in English.     

Simultaneous measurement of ionization and scintillation from nuclear recoils in liquid xenon for a dark matter experiment

We report the first measurements of the absolute ionization yield of nuclear recoils in liquid xenon, as a function of energy and electric field. Independent experiments were carried out with two dual-phase time-projection chamber prototypes, developed for the XENON dark matter project. We find that the charge yield increases with decreasing recoil energy, and exhibits only a weak field dependence. These results are the first unambiguous demonstration of the capability of dual-phase xenon detectors to discriminate between electron and nuclear recoils down to 20 keV, a key requirement for a sensitive dark matter search.     

First results from the XENON10 dark matter experiment at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory

The XENON10 experiment at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory uses a 15 kg xenon dual phase time projection chamber to search for dark matter weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). The detector measures simultaneously the scintillation and the ionization produced by radiation in pure liquid xenon to discriminate signal from background down to 4.5 keV nuclear-recoil energy. A blind analysis of 58.6 live days of data, acquired between October 6, 2006, and February 14, 2007, and using a fiducial mass of 5.4 kg, excludes previously unexplored parameter space, setting a new 90% C.L. upper limit for the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross section of 8.8x10(-44) cm2 for a WIMP mass of 100 GeV/c2, and 4.5x10(-44) cm2 for a WIMP mass of 30 GeV/c2. This result further constrains predictions of supersymmetric models.     

First dark matter results from the XENON100 experiment

The XENON100 experiment, in operation at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy, is designed to search for dark matter weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) scattering off 62 kg of liquid xenon in an ultralow background dual-phase time projection chamber. In this Letter, we present first dark matter results from the analysis of 11.17 live days of nonblind data, acquired in October and November 2009. In the selected fiducial target of 40 kg, and within the predefined signal region, we observe no events and hence exclude spin-independent WIMP-nucleon elastic scattering cross sections above 3.4 × 10??? cm2 for 55 GeV/c2 WIMPs at 90% confidence level. Below 20 GeV/c2, this result constrains the interpretation of the CoGeNT and DAMA signals as being due to spin-independent, elastic, light mass WIMP interactions.     

暗物质理论研究进展

评述了天体物理中暗物质的发现以及标准模型所面临的问题,综述了解决这些问题及标准模型之外可能出现的新物理与暗物质的联系。介绍了暗物质粒子选择条件和可能的暗物质粒子的候选者;对圆柱形暗物质表面密度与星系和星系团暗物质晕的晕核半径的关系进行了讨论,与其他模型进行了比较,得出暗物质晕的特征半径r_*的暗物质表面密度分布不是一个普适量;并叙述了近几年暗物质研究中提出的新理论模型-Hidden dark matter,最后叙述了中国暗物质实验探测研究的进展,2016年底DAMPE的第一批数据有可能给出;中国锦屏地下实验室（CJPL）的CDEX和PandaX合作组的第一期实验没有发现暗物质粒子存在的信号,期待他们下期的实验。A review of the evidence of the dark matter found in universe and the problems faced by the standard model. To address these issues as well as the possible relationship between the new physics beyond the standard model and dark matter, and given the selection condition of dark matter and possible candidates of the weakly-interacting massive particles (WIMPs). The correlation between the column surface density and the halo core radius of the dark matter halos of galaxies and cluster of galaxies is discussed, and the other models are compared. We find that the surface density within the halo characteristic radius r* is not an universal quantity; The new model (hidden dark matter)proposed in the study of dark matter is described. At last, the research progress of dark matter experiment in China is commented. At the end of 2016, the first batch of DAMPE data may be given;No significant excess events of WIMPS were found in the first stage of both the CDEX and PandaX experiments located in the China Jinping Underground Laboratory(CJPL). Look forward to their the next stage of these experiments in CJPL.     

Analyzing of singlet fermionic dark matter via the updated direct detection data

We revisit the parameter space of singlet fermionic cold dark matter model in order to determine the role of the mixing angle between the standard model Higgs and a new singlet one. Furthermore, we restudy the direct detection constraints with the updated and new experimental data. As an important conclusion, this model is completely excluded by recent XENON100, PandaX II and LUX data.     

Performance of a 3 mm×3 mm silicon photomultiplier for use on the X-ray calibration system of the SVOM gamma ray monitor

The calibration detector of a gamma ray monitor (GRM) is designed to detect alpha particles from ²⁴¹Am and to send out the coincidence signal to the GRM X-ray detector. The silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), as a novel photon device, is a good candidate to convert alpha-exciting fluorescent photons into electric signals. Three types of SiPMs from SSPM and MPPC, each having an active area of 3 mm×3 mm, were compared in the matter of the spectra from low-intensity light, dark count, crosstalk probability and I-V curve. The temperature coe cient of SSPM-0710G9MM was also characterized. The application of a SiPM on the GRM has been proved to be feasible.     

取样管型流分相式气液两相流体流量计

提出了用取样管来组成一种分流分相式气液两相流体流量计,通过取样管从被测两相流中成比例地分流出一部分气液混合物,然后应用-小型分离器将其分离成单相气体和液体,并用单相流量计分别测量它们的流量,最后根据测量值计算被测两相流体的各相总流量.文中给出了这种两相流体流量计的组成原理,分流系数特性及实验结果.研究结果表明,取样管的端口形状对分流系数的特性影响较大,其中S型端口的效果较理想,能够在较宽的测量范围内保持分流系数的稳定.     

应用单相流量计测量油水两相流

为探讨单相流量计用于液液两相流参数测量的可行性和有效性,本文对文丘里管、涡轮流量计和椭圆齿轮流量计用于油水两相流测量的响应特性进行了实验研究.文丘里管和涡轮流量计的实验管径为15 mm,25 mm,40 mm,椭圆齿轮流量计的实验管径为25 mm和40 mm.油水两相流总体积流量范围为1～5 m3/h,油含率范围为15%～85%.实验结果表明,文丘里管在高油含率时测得的油水两相流流量比实际流量偏大4%～5%.涡轮流量计的测量误差随油含率升高呈现增大的趋势,最大测量洪差小于5%.椭圆齿轮流量计用于油水两相流测量时相对测量误差小于1.0%且基本不受油含率影响.     

Neutron-induced nuclear recoil background in the PandaX-4T experiment

Neutron-induced nuclear recoil background is critical to dark matter searches in the PandaX-4T liquid xenon experiment. In this study, we investigate the features of neutron background in liquid xenon and evaluate its contribution in single scattering nuclear recoil events using three methods. The first method is fully based on Monte Carlo simulations. The last two are data-driven methods that also use multiple scattering signals and high energy signals in the data. In the PandaX-4T commissioning data with an exposure of 0.63 tonne-year, all these methods give a consistent result, i.e., there are \begin{document}$ 1.15\pm0.57 $\end{document} neutron-induced backgrounds in the dark matter signal region within an approximated nuclear recoil energy window between 5 and 100 keV.     

A stopping layer concept to improve the spatial resolution of gas-electron-multiplier neutron detector

In recent years, gas electron multiplier (GEM) neutron detectors have been developing towards high spatial resolution and high dynamic counting range. We propose a novel concept of an Al stopping layer to enable the detector to achieve sub-millimeter (sub-mm) spatial resolution. The neutron conversion layer is coated with the Al stopping layer to limit the emission angle of ions into the drift region. The short track projection of ions is obtained on the signal readout board, and the detector would get good spatial resolution. The spatial resolutions of the GEM neutron detector with the Al stopping layer are simulated and optimized based on Geant4GarfieldInterface. The spatial resolution of the detector is 0.76 mm and the thermal neutron detection efficiency is about 0.01% when the Al stopping layer is 3.0 μ m thick, the drift region is 2 mm thick, the strip pitch is 600 μ m, and the digital readout is employed. Thus, the GEM neutron detector with a simple detector structure and a fast readout mode is developed to obtain a high spatial resolution and high dynamic counting range. It could be used for the direct measurement of a high-flux neutron beam, such as Bragg transmission imaging, very small-angle scattering neutron detection and neutron beam diagnostic.     

Limits on spin-dependent WIMP-nucleon cross sections from the XENON10 experiment

XENON10 is an experiment to directly detect weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), which may comprise the bulk of the nonbaryonic dark matter in our Universe. We report new results for spin-dependent WIMP-nucleon interactions with 129Xe and 131Xe from 58.6 live days of operation at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. Based on the nonobservation of a WIMP signal in 5.4 kg of fiducial liquid xenon mass, we exclude previously unexplored regions in the theoretically allowed parameter space for neutralinos. We also exclude a heavy Majorana neutrino with a mass in the range of approximately 10 GeV/c2-2 TeV/c2 as a dark matter candidate under standard assumptions for its density and distribution in the galactic halo.     

浮力式低温液位计的设计原理及运行工况分析

全超导磁约束核聚变实验装置EAST的13对磁体电流引线全部采用高温超导(HTS)。为保证其安全运行,特为其液氮储槽设计制作了浮力式液位计。经过几轮物理实验,证明这种深冷液位计能较准确地监视HTS电流引线液氮储槽的液面,从而保证HTS电流引线的安全运行。文中介绍浮力式深冷液位计的设计原理及其运行工况。     

Status of the scalar singlet dark matter model

One of the simplest viable models for dark matter is an additional neutral scalar, stabilised by a \(\mathbb {Z}_2\) symmetry. Using the GAMBIT package and combining results from four independent samplers, we present Bayesian and frequentist global fits of this model. We vary the singlet mass and coupling along with 13 nuisance parameters, including nuclear uncertainties relevant for direct detection, the local dark matter density, and selected quark masses and couplings. We include the dark matter relic density measured by Planck, direct searches with LUX, PandaX, SuperCDMS and XENON100, limits on invisible Higgs decays from the Large Hadron Collider, searches for high-energy neutrinos from dark matter annihilation in the Sun with IceCube, and searches for gamma rays from annihilation in dwarf galaxies with the Fermi-LAT. Viable solutions remain at couplings of order unity, for singlet masses between the Higgs mass and about 300 GeV, and at masses above \(\sim \)1 TeV. Only in the latter case can the scalar singlet constitute all of dark matter. Frequentist analysis shows that the low-mass resonance region, where the singlet is about half the mass of the Higgs, can also account for all of dark matter, and remains viable. However, Bayesian considerations show this region to be rather fine-tuned.     

Performance of a 3 mm×3 mm silicon photomultiplier for use on the X-ray calibration system of the SVOM gamma ray monitor

The calibration detector of a gamma ray monitor (GRM) is designed to detect alpha particles from ²⁴¹Am and to send out the coincidence signal to the GRM X-ray detector. The silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), as a novel photon device, is a good candidate to convert alpha-exciting fluorescent photons into electric signals. Three types of SiPMs from SSPM and MPPC, each having an active area of 3 mm×3 mm, were compared in the matter of the spectra from low-intensity light, dark count, crosstalk probability and I-V curve. The temperature coe cient of SSPM-0710G9MM was also characterized. The application of a SiPM on the GRM has been proved to be feasible.