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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Search for a Narrow Resonance Lighter than 200 GeV Decaying to a Pair of Muons in Proton-Proton Collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ TeV

A search is presented for a narrow resonance decaying to a pair of oppositely charged muons using s=13 TeV proton-proton collision data recorded at the LHC. In the 45–75 and 110–200 GeV resonance mass ranges, the search is based on conventional triggering and event reconstruction techniques. In the 11.5–45 GeV mass range, the search uses data collected with dimuon triggers with low transverse momentum thresholds, recorded at high rate by storing a reduced amount of trigger-level information. The data correspond to integrated luminosities of 137 and 96.6 fb-1 for conventional and high-rate triggering, respectively. No significant resonant peaks are observed in the probed mass ranges. The search sets the most stringent constraints to date on a dark photon in the ∼30–75 and 110–200 GeV mass ranges.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Low-Energy Supernovae Severely Constrain Radiative Particle Decays

The hot and dense core formed in the collapse of a massive star is a powerful source of hypothetical feebly interacting particles such as sterile neutrinos, dark photons, axionlike particles (ALPs), and others. Radiative decays such as a→2γ deposit this energy in the surrounding material if the mean free path is less than the radius of the progenitor star. For the first time, we use a supernova (SN) population with particularly low explosion energies as the most sensitive calorimeters to constrain this possibility. These SNe are observationally identified as low-luminosity events with low ejecta velocities and low masses of ejected 56 Ni. Their low energies limit the energy deposition from particle decays to less than about 0.1 B, where 1 B(bethe) = 10 51 erg. For 1–500 MeV-mass ALPs, this generic argument excludes ALP-photon couplings G aγγ in the 10 -10 -10 -8 GeV -1 range.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Search for Daily Modulation of MeV Dark Matter Signals with DAMIC-M

Dark matter (DM) particles with sufficiently large cross sections may scatter as they travel through Earth’s bulk. The corresponding changes in the DM flux give rise to a characteristic daily modulation signal in detectors sensitive to DM-electron interactions. Here, we report results obtained from the first underground operation of the DAMIC-M prototype detector searching for such a signal from DM with MeV-scale mass. A model-independent analysis finds no modulation in the rate of 1 e − events with sidereal period, where a DM signal would appear. We then use these data to place exclusion limits on DM in the mass range [ 0.53 , 2.7 ] MeV / c 2 interacting with electrons via a dark photon mediator. Taking advantage of the time-dependent signal we improve by ∼ 2 orders of magnitude on our previous limit obtained from the total rate of 1 e − events, using the same dataset. This daily modulation search represents the current strongest limit on DM-electron scattering via ultralight mediators for DM masses around 1 MeV / c 2 . Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Arnquist, I. (ORCID:0000000256438330)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Search for low-mass dilepton resonances in Higgs boson decays to four-lepton final states in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13\,\text {TeV} $

A search for low-mass dilepton resonances in Higgs boson decays is conducted in the four-lepton final state. The decay is assumed to proceed via a pair of beyond the standard model particles, or one such particle and a ${\mathrm{Z}}$ boson. The search uses proton–proton collision data collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137$\,\text {fb}^{-1}$, at a center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s} = 13\,\text {TeV} $. No significant deviation from the standard model expectation is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on model-independent Higgs boson decay branching fractions. Additionally, limits on dark photon and axion-like particle production, based on two specific models, are reported.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Searches for Sub-GeV Dark Matter with NOvA and LDMX and Performance Studies of the Cosmic-Ray Veto for Mu2e

The constituents of dark matter are still unknown, and the viable possibilities span a very large mass range. Specific scenarios for the origin of dark matter sharpen the focus to within about an MeV to 100 TeV. Most of the stable constituents of known matter have masses in the lower range, and a thermal origin for dark matter works in a simple and predictive manner in this mass range as well. Non-gravitational couplings of dark matter to Standard Model particles would make it possible to produce dark matter at accelerators. Through 120 GeV proton-nucleus collisions, NOvA is effectively a beam dump experiment for producing and detecting dark matter. This thesis presents a search for dark matter – electron scattering in the NOvA near detector from sub-GeV dark matter produced at the target. A future search for sub-GeV dark matter with the Light Dark Matter eXperiment (LDMX) is discussed, along with a study of LDMX's expected sensitivity to visibly decaying dark photons. Additionally, performance studies of the Mu2e cosmic ray veto (CRV) are presented. A calibration procedure for the CRV counters is discussed, along with tests of the efficiency, position resolution, and light yield decline of the CRV counters.

Horoho, Tyler Gregory [Virginia U.] (ORCID:0000000↗
DOE OSTI2022

2.6GHz SRF Cavity Tuner for DarkPhoton Experiment [Poster]

There are several experiments ongoing at FNAL that require frequency tuning of bare (undressed) SRF cavities when they are cooled down and operated inside dilution refrigerator. One of these experiments is for the search of dark photons using a 2.6 GHz SRF cavity. The limited heat capacity of a dilution refrigerator prevents using a stepper motor for an SRF cavity tuner. The tuner for the 2.6 GHz SRF cavity will be equipped with encapsulated piezo actuators that will deliver long and short-range frequency tuning. Design of the tuner and results of the testing cavity/tuner system at ambient environment and at T = 77 K will be presented.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Frequency stability of the SRF cavities (microphonics)

There are several proposed experiments to search for Dark Matter that will utilize SRF cavities submerged into liquid Helium. Extremely narrow bandwidth of SRF cavities (<1 Hz) and requirements for cavity frequency stability will be obligated special measures to mitigate any vibrations from external sources that will be penetrated and re-tuned cavity. In the talk recent FNAL experience of measuring microphonics of SRF cavities used for Dark Photon experiment will be presented. FNAL’s program to mitigate SRF cavity microphonics (in passive and active way) will be presented.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS2020

Galactic origin of relativistic bosons and XENON1T excess

We entertain the exotic possibility that dark matter (DM) decays or annihilations taking place in our galaxy may produce a flux of relativistic very weakly-coupled bosons, axions or dark photons. We show that there exist several upper bounds for this flux on Earth assuming generic minimal requirements for DM, such as a lifetime longer than the age of the Universe or an annihilation rate that leaves unaffected the background evolution during matter domination. These bounds do not depend on the identity or the couplings of the bosons. We then show that this new flux cannot be large enough to explain the recent XENON1T excess, while assuming that the bosons’ couplings to the Standard Model are consistent with all current experimental and observational constraints. We also discuss a possible caveat to these bounds and a route to explain the excess.

Jatan Buch↗
DOE OSTI2022

Design of axion and axion dark matter searches based on ultra high Q SRF cavities

The Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems center is developing searches for dark photons, axions and ALPs with the goal of improving upon the current state-of-the-art sensitivity. These efforts leverage on Fermi National Accelerator expertise on ultra-high quality factor superconducting radio frequency cavities combined with the center research on quantum technology. Here we focus on multiple axion searches that utilize ~1E10 quality factor superconducting radio frequency cavities and their resonant modes to enhance the production and/or detection of axions in the cavity volume. In addition, we present preliminary results of single-mode and multi-mode nonlinearity measurements that were carried out as part of an experimental feasibility study to gain insight on the behavior of the ultra-high quality factor resonators and the experimental RF system in the regime relevant for axion searches.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

A New Search for Low-mass Dark Matter and an Examination and Reduction of the Uncertainty due to the Photoelectric Absorption Cross Section using a Cryogenic Silicon Detector with Single-charge Sensitivity

Many astrophysical observations point to the abundant existence of dark matter (DM) in the universe composed of particles beyond the Standard Model. However despite numerous experiments using different techniques, DM particles have yet to be directly observed. The Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (SuperCDMS) SNOLAB experiment will employ silicon and germanium crystal detectors operated at temperatures as low as 15~mK to probe DM interactions using phonon and ionization signals. Recently, R\&D; facilities have developed gram-sized high-voltage eV-scale (HVeV) silicon detectors that achieve single-electron-hole-pair resolution. By probing effective DM-electron interactions, these devices can be used for searches of low-mass DM candidates.This dissertation presents a DM search experiment known as HVeV Run~2 that employs a second-generation HVeV detector operated in an above-ground laboratory at Northwestern University (IL, USA). Energy spectra are obtained from a blind analysis with 0.39 and 1.2\,g-days of exposure with the detector biased at 60 and 100\,V, respectively. The 0.93~gram detector achieves a 3\,eV phonon energy resolution, corresponding to a world-leading charge resolution of 3\,\% of a single electron-hole pair for a detector bias of 100\,V. With charge carrier trapping and impact ionization effects incorporated into the DM signal models, the resulting exclusion limits are reported for inelastic DM-electron scattering for DM masses from 0.5--$10^{4}$\,MeV$/c^{2}$; in the mass range from 1.2--50\,eV$/c^{2}$ the limits for dark photon and axion-like particle absorption are reported.Several DM search experiments, including HVeV Run~2, are sensitive to low-mass DM candidates that rely on the temperature-dependent photoelectric absorption cross section of silicon. However discrepancies in the underlying literature data result in dominating systematic uncertainties on the DM exclusion limits. In order to reduce these systematic uncertainties, this dissertation presents a novel method of making a direct, low-temperature measurement of the photoelectric absorption cross section of silicon at energies near the band gap (1.2--2.8\,eV).

Wilson, Matthew James↗
DOE OSTI2025

On the Speed-up of Wave-like Dark Matter Searches with Entangled Qubits

Qubit-based sensing platforms offer promising new directions for wave-like dark matter searches. Recent proposals demonstrate that entangled qubits can achieve quadratic scaling of the signal in the number of qubits. In this work we expand on these proposals to analyze the bandwidth and scan rate performance of entangled qubit protocols across different error regimes. We find that the phase-based readout of entangled protocols preserves the search bandwidth independent of qubit number, in contrast to power-based detection schemes, thereby achieving a genuine scan-rate advantage. We derive coherence time and error rate requirements for qubit systems to realize this advantage. Applying our analysis to dark photon searches, we find that entangled states of approximately 100 qubits can become competitive with benchmark photon-counting cavity experiments for masses $\gtrsim 30{-}40~μ{\rm eV}$, provided sufficiently low error rates are achieved. The advantage increases at higher masses where cavity volume scaling becomes less favorable.

Bodas, Arushi [Fermilab; Chicago U.] (ORCID:000000↗
DOE OSTI2026

New physics in multi-lepton tau decays

Dark particles with lepton-flavor-violating couplings to the tau lepton can induce rare neutrinoless $τ$ decays with large final state multiplicities. We study models where transitions of the type $τ^\pm\to \ell^\pm\,ϕ$, with $ϕ$ a light new particle, initiate a chain of decays in the dark sector that terminate with decays into electrons, muons, or pions. These decay cascades appear as rare five or even seven-body $τ$ decays with multiple reconstructable resonances. We survey several representative models: kinetically mixed dark photon, gauged $L_i-L_j$ models, and other more exotic charge assignments such as chiral $U(1)'$ extensions of the Standard Model. The main new ingredient is the possibility of flavor violation at very high scales. In these models, a number of channels that have not yet been searched for experimentally, such as $τ\to 5μ$, $τ\to 3μ\,2e$, $τ\to μ\,4e$, and hadronic channels like $τ\to μ\,4π$, typically dominate over the previously-considered signatures such as $τ\to 3μ$. While some of the models, such as the gauged $L_i-L_j$ ones, also contain more challenging channels with missing energy due to decays to neutrinos, they can still be searched for via fully visible channels.

Ema, Yohei [Florida U.]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Hidden-sectors search and probe of discrete symmetries at the REDTOP experiment

The $η$ and $η^{\prime}$ mesons are nearly unique in the particle universe since they are nearly Goldstone bosons, and their decay dynamics are strongly constrained. While earlier experiments collected samples of order $\sim 10^{9}η$, the proposed REDTOP (Rare Eta Decays To Observe Physics Beyond the Standard Model) facility targets $\mathcal{O}(10^{14})η$ and $\mathcal{O}(10^{12})η^\prime$, enabling broad searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. In this work, we present studies evaluating REDTOP sensitivity to processes that couple the Standard Model to New Physics through four portals: the Vector (dark photon), the Scalar (Higgs-mixing), the Axion-like, and the Heavy Lepton. In parallel, the proposed statistics allow precise tests of $CP$ and $T$ invariance and lepton universality and improve determinations of the $η/η'$ transition form factors, which are crucial inputs to the hadronic light-by-light contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment $(g-2)_μ$.

Gatto, C. [INFN, Naples; Northern Illinois U.]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Quantum-Enhanced Dark-Matter Sensing with Large Photon Number Fock States in a High-Q SRF Cavity

Wave-like dark matter candidates such as axions or dark photons in the microwave frequency range can be probed using resonant superconducting cavities. We demonstrate a quantum-enhanced sensing approach based on a multimode, high-Q superconducting RF (SRF) cavity, where a large Fock state is prepared in the storage mode via sideband transitions mediated by a transmon ancilla and a measurement-based feedforward protocol, achieving high-fidelity Fock states [1]. The prepared |n⟩ state induces stimulated emission from the dark-matter field, providing an (n + 1) enhancement in transition probability and proportional boost in signal rate [2]. A secondary cavity mode functions as an in-situ reference to calibrate noise. We present the control sequence, noise-referencing strategy, and projected sensitivity improvements for axion and dark-photon detection. This multimode architecture combines large Fock state preparation with noise calibration, offering a practical path to increased scan rate in cavity-based dark-matter searches.

Kim, Taeyoon↗
NASA NTRS2012

Fermi LAT Search for Dark Matter in Gamma-Ray Lines and the Inclusive Photon Spectrum

Dark matter particle annihilation or decay can produce monochromatic gamma-ray lines and contribute to the diffuse gamma-ray background. Flux upper limits are presented for gamma-ray spectral lines from 7 to 200 GeV and for the diffuse gamma-ray background from 4.8 GeV to 264 GeV obtained from two years of Fermi Large Area Telescope data integrated over most of the sky. We give cross section upper limits and decay lifetime lower limits for dark matter models that produce gamma-ray lines or contribute to the diffuse spectrum, including models proposed as explanations of the PAMELA and Fermi cosmic-ray data.

Ackermann, M.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Direct dark matter searches with metal halide perovskites

Polar materials with optical phonons in the meV range are excellent candidates for both dark matter direct detection via dark photon-mediated scattering and light dark matter absorption. In this study, we propose, for the first time, the metal halide perovskites MAPbI 3 , MAPbCl 3 , and CsPbI 3 for these purposes. Our findings reveal that CsPbI 3 is the best material, significantly improving exclusion limits compared to other polar materials. For scattering, CsPbI 3 can probe dark matter masses down to the keV range. For absorption, it enhances sensitivity to detect dark photon masses below ∼10 meV. The only material that has so far been investigated and that could provide competitive bounds is CsI, which, however, demonstrates lower stability as device platform compared to CsPbI 3 . Moreover, CsI is isotropic while the anisotropic structure of CsPbI 3 enables daily modulation analysis, showing that a significant percentage of daily modulation exceeding 1% is achievable for dark matter masses below 40 keV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Results on photon-mediated dark-matter–nucleus interactions from the PICO-60 C 3 F 8 bubble chamber

Many compelling models predict dark matter coupling to the electromagnetic current through higher multipole interactions, while remaining electrically neutral. Different multipole couplings have been studied, among them anapole moment, electric and magnetic dipole moments, and millicharge. This study sets limits on the couplings for these photon-mediated interactions using nonrelativistic contact operators in an effective field theory framework. Using data from the PICO-60 bubble chamber leading limits for dark matter masses between 2.7 and 24 GeV/c 2 and above 265 GeV/c 2 (anapole moment), 2.7 and 11.7 GeV/c 2 (electric moment), 3 and 9.5 GeV/c 2 (magnetic moment), and 2.7 and 12 GeV/c 2 (millicharged) are reported for the coupling of these photon-mediated dark matter-nucleus interactions. The detector was filled with 52 kg of C 3 F 8 operating at thermodynamic thresholds of 2.45 keV and 3.29 keV, reaching exposures of 1404 kg-day and 1167 kg-day, respectively.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗