Search for Solar Boosted Dark Matter Particles at the PandaX-4T Experiment

Journal Article · 24 April 2025 · Physical Review Letters

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.161003 · OSTI ID:2563003

Shen, Guofang; Bo, Zihao; Chen, Wei; Chen, Xun; Chen, Yunhua; Cheng, Zhaokan; Cui, Xiangyi; Fan, Yingjie; Fang, Deqing; Gao, Zhixing; Geng, Lisheng; Giboni, Karl; Guo, Xunan; Guo, Xuyuan; Guo, Zichao; Han, Chencheng; Han, Ke; He, Changda; He, Jinrong; Huang, Di ; Huang, Houqi; Huang, Junting; Hou, Ruquan; Hou, Yu; Ji, Xiangdong; Ji, Xiangpan; Ju, Yonglin; Li, Chenxiang; Li, Jiafu; Li, Mingchuan; Li, Shuaijie; Li, Tao; Li, Zhiyuan; Lin, Qing; Liu, Jianglai; Lu, Congcong; Lu, Xiaoying; Luo, Lingyin; Luo, Yunyang; Ma, Wenbo; Ma, Yugang; Mao, Yajun; Meng, Yue; Ning, Xuyang; Pang, Binyu; Qi, Ningchun; Qian, Zhicheng; Ren, Xiangxiang; Shan, Dong; Shang, Xiaofeng; Shao, Xiyuan; Shen, Manbin; Sun, Wenliang; Tao, Yi; Wang, Anqing; Wang, Guanbo; Wang, Hao; Wang, Jiamin; Wang, Lei; Wang, Meng; Wang, Qiuhong; Wang, Shaobo; Wang, Siguang; Wang, Wei; Wang, Xiuli; Wang, Xu; Wang, Zhou; Wei, Yuehuan; Wu, Weihao; Wu, Yuan; Xiao, Mengjiao; Xiao, Xiang; Xiong, Kaizhi; Xu, Yifan; Yao, Shunyu; Yan, Binbin; Yan, Xiyu; Yang, Yong; Ye, Peihua; Yu, Chunxu; Yuan, Ying; Yuan, Zhe; Yun, Youhui; Zeng, Xinning; Zhang, Minzhen; Zhang, Peng; Zhang, Shibo; Zhang, Shu; Zhang, Tao; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Yang; Zhang, Yingxin; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Zhao, Li; Zhou, Jifang; Zhou, Jiaxu; Zhou, Jiayi; Zhou, Ning; Zhou, Xiaopeng ; Zhou, Yubo; Zhou, Zhizhen; An, Haipeng; Nie, Haoming

We present a novel constraint on light dark matter utilizing 1.54 metric ton/year of data acquired from the PandaX-4T dual-phase xenon time projection chamber. This constraint is derived through detecting electronic recoil signals resulting from the interaction with solar-enhanced dark matter flux. Low-mass dark matter particles, lighter than a few $\mathrm{MeV}/c^2$ , can scatter with the thermal electrons in the Sun. Consequently, with higher kinetic energy, the boosted dark matter component becomes detectable via contact scattering with xenon electrons, resulting in a few keV energy deposition that exceeds the threshold of PandaX-4T. We calculate the expected recoil energy in PandaX-4T considering the Sun’s acceleration with heavy mediators and the detection capabilities of the xenon detector. The first experimental search results using the xenon detector yield the most stringent upper limits cross section of $3.51\times {10}^{-39}{\mathrm{cm}}^2$ at $0.08\mathrm{MeV}/c^2$ for a solar boosted dark matter mass ranging from 0.02 to $10\mathrm{MeV}/c^2$ , achieving a 23-fold improvement compared with earlier experimental studies. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 2563003
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 16 Vol. 134; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Publisher: American Physical SocietyCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English