Designing an X-ray Transmission Window for DarkNESS
The work focused on finalizing the window design for the DarkNESS Critical Design Review (CDR) and analyzing X-ray data to determine detector noise and gain.
Bhatia, Samriddhi↗
Engineering topics
Saffold, Nate
Publications and source records attributed to Saffold, Nate.
Oscura: Dark Matter search with 10 kg of skipper-CCDs
The electron-counting capability of the skipper-CCDs has enabled world leading searches for low mass DM-electron scattering in experiments with less than 100 g active mass (SENSEI and DAMIC-M). Oscura is the ongoing effort to develop a 10 kg skipper-CCD experiment for dark matter search. In this talk, I will discuss the current status and plans for the Oscura experiment, including the performance of the prototype sensors and the plans for early science.
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DarkNESS Project Testing
This internship involved the design and assembly of a mechanical system for testing skipper-Charge Couple Devices (CCDs) for the DarkNESS project. Skipper-CCDs are highly-sensitive sensors with ultra-low readout noise that are deployed for direct detection of dark matter. DarkNESS is a CubeSat that aims to use skipper CCDs to search for dark matter decaying into X-rays. Currently, in the testing phase, the design process involved creating 3D models of mechanical adapters to operate a prototype space Multi Chip Module (sMCM) package in existing testing chambers in the CCD lab at Fermilab's IERC. The drawings were sent out to be machined, and while waiting to receive the finished adapters, we assembled a vacuum chamber for skipper-CCD testing and performed initial testing of a single CCD controlled by the space Low Threshold Acquisition (sLTA) board that will be employed on the CubeSat. The results showed that the testing conditions are optimal for data to start being taken and analyzed.
Akouedjinoude, Kodjo↗