More Like this

1. Search for Light Dark Matter in Low-Energy Ionization Signals from XENONnT

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.161004  

   Aprile, E; Aalbers, J; Abe, K; Ahmed_Maouloud, S; Althueser, L; Andrieu, B; Angelino, E; Antón_Martin, D; Arneodo, F; Baudis, L; et al (April 2025, Physical Review Letters)

   We report on a blinded search for dark matter with single- and few-electron signals in the first science run of XENONnT relying on a novel detector response framework that is physics model dependent. We derive 90% confidence upper limits for dark matter-electron interactions. Heavy and light mediator cases are considered for the standard halo model and dark matter up-scattered in the Sun. We set stringent new limits on dark matter-electron scattering via a heavy mediator with a mass within $10–20\mathrm{MeV}/c^2$and electron absorption of axionlike particles and dark photons for $m_{\chi }$below $0.03\mathrm{keV}/c^2$. Published by the American Physical Society2025 

   more » « less
2. Proposal for a Ramsey Neutron-Beam Experiment to Search for Ultralight Axion Dark Matter at the European Spallation Source

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.181001  

   Fierlinger, P; Holl, M; Milstead, D; Santoro, V; Snow, W M; Stadnik, Y V (October 2024, Physical Review Letters)

   High-intensity neutron beams, such as those available at the European Spallation Source (ESS), provide new opportunities for fundamental discoveries. Here, we discuss a novel Ramsey neutron-beam experiment to search for ultralight axion dark matter through its coupling to neutron spins, which would cause the neutron spins to rotate about the velocity of the neutrons relative to the dark matter halo. We estimate that experiments at the HIBEAM beamline with a 50 m free flight path at the ESS can improve the sensitivity to the axion-neutron coupling compared to the current best laboratory limits by up to 2–3 orders of magnitude over the axion mass range ${10}^{-22}\mathrm{eV}–{10}^{-16}\mathrm{eV}$. Published by the American Physical Society2024 

   more » « less
3. First Search for Light Dark Matter in the Neutrino Fog with XENONnT

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.111802  

   Aprile, E; Aalbers, J; Abe, K; Ahmed_Maouloud, S; Althueser, L; Andrieu, B; Angelino, E; Antón_Martin, D; Arneodo, F; Baudis, L; et al (March 2025, Physical Review Letters)

   We search for dark matter (DM) with a mass $[3,12]\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$using an exposure of $3.51\mathrm{tonne}\hspace{0.17em}\mathrm{year}$with the XENONnT experiment. We consider spin-independent DM-nucleon interactions mediated by a heavy or light mediator, spin-dependent DM-neutron interactions, momentum-dependent DM scattering, and mirror DM. Using a lowered energy threshold compared to the previous weakly interacting massive particle search, a blind analysis of [0.5, 5.0] keV nuclear recoil events reveals no significant signal excess over the background. XENONnT excludes spin-independent DM-nucleon cross sections $>2.5\times {10}^{-45}{\mathrm{cm}}^2$at 90% confidence level for $6\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$DM. In the considered mass range, the DM sensitivity approaches the “neutrino fog,” the limitation where neutrinos produce a signal that is indistinguishable from that of light DM-xenon nucleus scattering. Published by the American Physical Society2025 

   more » « less
4. Measurement of the Isolated Nuclear Two-Photon Decay in ${}^{72}\mathrm{Ge}$

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.022502  

   Freire-Fernández, D; Korten, W; Chen, R J; Litvinov, S; Litvinov, Yu A; Sanjari, M S; Weick, H; Akinci, F C; Albers, H M; Armstrong, M; et al (July 2024, Physical Review Letters)

   The nuclear two-photon or double-gamma ( $2\gamma$) decay is a second-order electromagnetic process whereby a nucleus in an excited state emits two gamma rays simultaneously. To be able to directly measure the $2\gamma$decay rate in the low-energy regime below the electron-positron pair-creation threshold, we combined the isochronous mode of a storage ring with Schottky resonant cavities. The newly developed technique can be applied to isomers with excitation energies down to $\sim 100\mathrm{keV}$and half-lives as short as $\sim 10\mathrm{ms}$. The half-life for the $2\gamma$decay of the first-excited $0^{+}$state in bare ${}^{72}\mathrm{Ge}$ions was determined to be 23.9(6) ms, which strongly deviates from expectations. Published by the American Physical Society2024 

   more » « less
5. First Indication of Solar ${}^8\mathrm{B}$ Neutrinos via Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering with XENONnT

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.191002  

   Aprile, E; Aalbers, J; Abe, K; Ahmed_Maouloud, S; Althueser, L; Andrieu, B; Angelino, E; Antón_Martin, D; Arneodo, F; Baudis, L; et al (November 2024, Physical Review Letters)

   We present the first measurement of nuclear recoils from solar ${}^8\mathrm{B}$neutrinos via coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering with the XENONnT dark matter experiment. The central detector of XENONnT is a low-background, two-phase time projection chamber with a 5.9 t sensitive liquid xenon target. A blind analysis with an exposure of $3.51\mathrm{t}\times \mathrm{yr}$resulted in 37 observed events above 0.5 keV, with ( ${26.4}_{-1.3}^{+1.4}$) events expected from backgrounds. The background-only hypothesis is rejected with a statistical significance of $2.73\sigma$. The measured ${}^8\mathrm{B}$solar neutrino flux of $\left({4.7}_{-2.3}^{+3.6}\right)\times {10}^6{\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$is consistent with results from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. The measured neutrino flux-weighted $\mathrm{CE}\nu \mathrm{NS}$cross section on Xe of $\left({1.1}_{-0.5}^{+0.8}\right)\times {10}^{-39}{\mathrm{cm}}^2$is consistent with the Standard Model prediction. This is the first direct measurement of nuclear recoils from solar neutrinos with a dark matter detector. Published by the American Physical Society2024 

   more » « less