Project description
On the trail of low-mass dark matter candidates
Mysterious and invisible dark matter makes up around 25–30 % of the mass of our universe and, despite decades of searching for its components, we still do not know what it is. Weakly interacting massive particles or WIMPs are perhaps the strongest contenders for dark matter, yet experiments have failed to confirm their existence. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the Si4DM project is turning its gaze towards alternative models for dark matter, specifically particles at low masses rather than massive ones. Harnessing silicon photomultiplier technology will increase detection sensitivity and could just provide the first evidence supporting low-mass dark matter candidates.
Objective
Unveiling the nature of dark matter (DM) is one of the fundamental open questions in Physics today. A big-bang relic population of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) is among the most favoured candidates. Earth-based direct detection experiments aim to detect the low-energy recoils induced by WIMP-nucleus scattering in an instrumented target. Searching for WIMPs down to neutrino floor is among the highest priorities of the astroparticle physics community for the next decade, but no evidence of this process has been unambiguously reported so far.
The null results of current searches for a DM particle at the electroweak scale may be interpreted as a need for a change of paradigm. There is increasing interest in alternative models for DM, and a rich phenomenology, most notably at low masses (<10 GeV/c2). DarkSide-20k will be the first experiment to use novel and specialised ultra-low background silicon photosensors to read out a 50 t liquid argon target, searching for WIMPs. This proposal aims to exploit the potential of the SiPM technology developed for DarkSide-20k to broaden the sensitivity to low-mass DM candidates, by searching for dark matter interactions in the silicon sensors themselves.
The goal of the Si4DM (Silicon for Direct Detection of DM in Darkside) project is a world-leading DM search in a novel detector reaching beyond the WIMP paradigm. The proposal objectives are:
- the background rejection and energy measurement characterisation in the novel SiPMs, to enable an event-by-event search for DM interactions in the Si, with electron final states; and
- to develop the first search for DM in a SiPM target, using sidereal modulation.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences physical sciences theoretical physics particle physics
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors optical sensors
- natural sciences physical sciences astronomy astrophysics dark matter
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
TW20 0EX EGHAM
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.