Laura Baudis

University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

Laura Baudis (left) with Thomas Gehrmann
Laura Baudis (left) with Thomas Gehrmann

Date

10 December 2008

Title

Cold Dark Matter Searches and the XENON Experiment

Abstract

The XENON experiment aims to detect weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) via their elastic scattering on Xe nuclei, using a low background, two-phase time projection chamber. With 1-ton of ultra pure liquid xenon as target, an energy threshold below 10 keV and a background rejection power above 99.5%, XENON could reach a sensitivity close to 10−46 cm2 for spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross sections. To verify the XENON approach to dark matter detection, a first prototype (XENON10) was developed and operated for a period of several months at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory (LNGS) in Italy. XENON10 data have resulted in a 90% C.L. upper limit of 8.8 x 10−44 cm2 for a 100 GeV WIMP. XENON100, a new detector with 170 kg total liquid Xe mass, is currently under commissioning at LNGS; the goal is to start the science run in fall 2008. The status and WIMP sensitivity expectations for the new experiment will be presented.

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