First search for invisible decays of ortho-positronium confined in a vacuum cavity

Abstract

The experimental setup and results of the first search for invisible decays of ortho-positronium (o-Ps) confined in a vacuum cavity are reported. No evidence of invisible decays at a level $\text{Br}\left(\text{o-Ps}\to \text{invisible}\right)<5.9\times 10^{-4}$ (90% C. L.) was found. This decay channel is predicted in Hidden Sector models such as the Mirror Matter (MM), which could be a candidate for Dark Matter. Analyzed within the MM context, this result provides an upper limit on the kinetic mixing strength between ordinary and mirror photons of $\epsilon <3.1\times 10^{-7}$ (90% C. L.). This limit was obtained for the first time in vacuum free of systematic effects due to collisions with matter.

arXiv comment11 pages, 6 figures, 6 tables

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• Constraining galactic structures of mirror dark matter
• New bounds from positronium decays on massless mirror dark photons
• First direct detection constraint on mirror dark matter kinetic mixing using LUX 2013 data
• A search for neutron to mirror neutron oscillation using neutron electric dipole moment measurements
• Bounds on ortho-positronium and $J/\psi$-${\rm Y}$ quarkonia invisible decays and constraints on hidden braneworlds in a $SO(3,1)$-broken 5D bulk
• Search for mirror hidden sector with neutral kaons at NA64