Toward a neutrino-limited dark matter search with crystalline xenon

Journal Article · 29 April 2024 · Physical Review. D.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.109.L071102 · OSTI ID:2341697

Chen, Hao; Gibbons, Ryan; Haselschwardt, S. J. ; Kravitz, Scott ; Xia, Qing; Sorensen, Peter

Experiments searching for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter are now detecting background events from solar neutrino-electron scattering. However, the dominant radioactive background in state-of-the-art experiments such as LZ and XENONnT is beta decays from radon contamination. In spite of careful detector material screening, radon progenitor atoms are ubiquitous and long-lived, and radon is extremely soluble in liquid xenon. We propose a change of phase and demonstrate that crystalline xenon offers more than a factor $\times 500$ exclusion against radon ingress, compared with the liquid state. This level of radon exclusion would allow crystallized versions of existing experiments to probe spin-independent cross sections near ${10}^{-47}{\mathrm{cm}}^2$ in roughly 11 years, as opposed to the 35 years required otherwise. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
• OSTI ID: 2341697
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D., Journal Name: Physical Review. D. Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 109; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 2470-0010
• Publisher: American Physical SocietyCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English