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

Abstract

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 $\sim$2 orders of magnitude on our previous limit obtained from the total rate of 1$e^{-}$ events, using the same data set. This daily modulation search represents the current strongest limit on DM-electron scattering via ultralight mediators for DM masses around 1 MeV/c${}^2$.

References in corpus (26)

• Secluded WIMP Dark Matter
• Light Dark Matter: Models and Constraints
• Single-electron and single-photon sensitivity with a silicon Skipper CCD
• Search for low-mass WIMPs in a 0.6 kg day exposure of the DAMIC experiment at SNOLAB
• A Natural Supersymmetric Model with MeV Dark Matter
• Search for Light Dark Matter-Electron Scatterings in the PandaX-II Experiment
• First Constraints from DAMIC-M on Sub-GeV Dark-Matter Particles Interacting with Electrons
• Emission of Single and Few Electrons in XENON1T and Limits on Light Dark Matter
• Search for dark matter at colliders
• EXCESS workshop: Descriptions of rising low-energy spectra
• Search for dark matter particle interactions with electron final states with DarkSide-50
• DarkELF: A python package for dark matter scattering in dielectric targets
• Signatures of Earth-scattering in the direct detection of Dark Matter
• A Search for the Cosmic Ray Boosted Sub-GeV Dark Matter at the PandaX-II Experiment
• Ionization Yield in Silicon for eV-Scale Electron-Recoil Processes
• Model independent result on possible diurnal effect in DAMA/LIBRA-phase1
• DaMaSCUS: The Impact of Underground Scatterings on Direct Detection of Light Dark Matter
• Daily Modulation as a Smoking Gun of Dark Matter with Significant Stopping
• Constraints on Sub-GeV Dark Matter--Electron Scattering from the CDEX-10 Experiment
• Phase-space distribution of unbound dark matter near the Sun
• Joint CMB and BBN Constraints on Light Dark Sectors with Dark Radiation
• Solar reflection of light dark matter with heavy mediators
• Limits on Sub-GeV Dark Matter from the PROSPECT Reactor Antineutrino Experiment
• Closing the window on $\sim$GeV Dark Matter with moderate ($\sim$$\mu$b) interaction with nucleons
• EXCEED-DM: Extended Calculation of Electronic Excitations for Direct Detection of Dark Matter
• Precision measurement of Compton scattering in silicon with a skipper CCD for dark matter detection

Cited by in corpus (11)

• SENSEI: First Direct-Detection Results on sub-GeV Dark Matter from SENSEI at SNOLAB
• Probing Benchmark Models of Hidden-Sector Dark Matter with DAMIC-M
• A Dark Sink Enhances the Direct Detection of Freeze-in Dark Matter
• Light Dark Matter Constraints from SuperCDMS HVeV Detectors Operated Underground with an Anticoincidence Event Selection
• SENSEI at SNOLAB: Single-Electron Event Rate and Implications for Dark Matter
• Minimal Dark Matter Freeze-in with Low Reheating Temperatures and Implications for Direct Detection
• Low-Energy Backgrounds in Solid-State Phonon and Charge Detectors
• The DAMIC-M Low Background Chamber
• Searches for CEνNS and Physics beyond the Standard Model using Skipper-CCDs at CONNIE
• Super-Kamiokande Strongly Constrains Leptophilic Dark Matter Capture in the Sun
• SENSEI: A Search for Diurnal Modulation in sub-GeV Dark Matter Scattering