The DAMIC experiment: searching for WIMPs and beyond with CCDs

The DAMIC experiment employs the bulk silicon of ~mm-thick charge-coupled devices (CCDs) for direct detection of dark matter particles. This novel technique features an unprecedentedly low threshold for nuclear and electron recoils (down to a single electron of charge), providing optimal sensitivity for low-mass dark matter particles (< 10 GeV). In addition, the spatial resolution of the CCDs, unique amongst dark matter detectors, results in powerful methods to identify and mitigate environmental and cosmogenic backgrounds. I will show recent results from DAMIC at SNOLAB and present plans for an ambitious kg-size experiment based on the CCD technology which will explore with unprecedented sensitivity WIMPs and dark sector candidates over a broad mass range between 1 eV and 10 GeV.

Dates: 

Wednesday, 19 April, 2017 - 14:00

Salle / Local: 

454A, bâtiment Condorcet

Nom/Prénom // Last name/First name: 

Paolo Privitera

Affiliation: 

Departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics; Enrico Fermi Institute; and the College