TREX-DM: a low background Micromegas-based TPC for low mass WIMP detection

Abstract

Dark Matter experiments are recently focusing their detection techniques in low-mass WIMPs, which requires the use of light elements and low energy threshold. In this context, we present the TREX-DM experiment, a low background Micromegas-based TPC for low-mass WIMP detection. Its main goal is the operation of an active detection mass $\sim$0.300 kg, with an energy threshold below 0.4 keVee and fully built with previously selected radiopure materials. This article describes the actual setup, the first results of the comissioning in Ar+2\%iC${}_4$H${}_{10}$ at 1.2 bar and the future updates for a possible physics run at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory in 2016. A first background model is also presented, based on Geant4 simulations and a muon/electron discrimination method. In a conservative scenario, TREX-DM could be sensitive to DAMA/LIBRA and other hints of positive WIMPs signals, with some space for improvement with a neutron/electron discrimination method or the use of other light gases.

Proceedings of the 7th Symposium on Large TPCs for Low-Energy Rare Event Detection

References in corpus (4)

• Direct dark matter detection: the next decade
• Radiopurity of Micromegas readout planes
• Quantifying the evidence for Dark Matter in CoGeNT data
• Micromegas detector developments for Dark Matter directional detection with MIMAC

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Dark matter direct-detection experiments
• Gaseous time projection chambers for rare event detection: Results from the T-REX project. I. Double beta decay
• Exploring 0.1-10eV axions with a new helioscope concept
• Detectors and Concepts for sub-100 ps timing with gaseous detectors
• TREX-DM: a low background Micromegas-based TPC for low-mass WIMP detection