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Measurement of low-energy Compton and neutron scattering in Si CCDs for dark matter searches
by R. Smida for the DAMIC-M Collaboration
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Submission summary
| Authors (as registered SciPost users): | Radomir Smida |
| Submission information | |
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| Preprint Link: | scipost_202210_00025v1 (pdf) |
| Date accepted: | 2023-03-09 |
| Date submitted: | 2022-10-03 16:19 |
| Submitted by: | Smida, Radomir |
| Submitted to: | SciPost Physics Proceedings |
| Proceedings issue: | 14th International Conference on Identification of Dark Matter (IDM2022) |
| Ontological classification | |
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| Academic field: | Physics |
| Specialties: |
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| Approach: | Experimental |
Abstract
For optimal sensitivity to low-mass dark matter candidates experiments like DAMIC-M employ skipper charged-coupled devices (CCDs) with detection threshold of just a few ionization charges. Ionization signals from small-angle Compton scatters of environmental gamma-rays, an important component of the background in dark matter searches, must thus be characterized down to O(10eV) energy. Using a 241Am gamma-ray source, we report a precise measurement of scattering on Si atomic shell electrons in a skipper CCD with single-electron resolution. Notable differences are observed between data and theoretical expectations in the L-shell energy region (<150 eV). We also present preliminary data from a skipper CCD exposed to low-energy neutrons (<24keV) from a 124Sb9Be photoneutron source, demonstrating a measurement of the nuclear recoil ionization efficiency in Si down to few ionization charges.
Published as SciPost Phys. Proc. 12, 015 (2023)
Reports on this Submission
Report #1 by Anonymous (Referee 1) on 2022-11-8 (Invited Report)
- Cite as: Anonymous, Report on arXiv:scipost_202210_00025v1, delivered 2022-11-08, doi: 10.21468/SciPost.Report.6088
Strengths
Presentation of preliminary results of development of low energy calibration for DAMIC-M experiment, where they using source 241Am can see for the first time L2,3 shell at ~99eV and verify this with two types of simulations showing discrepancy between them and raising again well known question about reliability of GEANT4 at low energies.
Weaknesses
Some editing needed. Can be done during post production phase.
Report
The manuscript is clearly written and well organized. It is also suitably formatted for publication. I recommend the manuscript for publication in its present form.