Dark photon searches in the photon channel

Abstract

Spectral shape differences between photons produced in $\ddot{I}{€}^0\to {\hat{I}}^3+{\hat{I}}^3$ and $\ddot{I}{€}^0\to {\hat{I}}^3+A_D$ may provide a new avenue for dark photon searches. Assuming 70 $\hat{I}¼$m thick tungsten foils separated by 200 $\hat{I}¼$m and a 1 GeV proton beam, we developed a GEANT4 model to estimate photon production and detection including background. Our results demonstrate that multiple campaign runs with a 10-50 $\hat{I}¼$A beam could probe previously unexplored regions of parameter space in models where the dark photon has predominantly invisible decays. The results are highly model independent.

7 pages, 5 figures