2016/04/30 by Katelin Schutz, Kathryn M. Zurek · 3 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics #Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research #Atomic physics #Condensed matter physics #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #Dark matter #Excitation #Helium #Momentum (technical analysis) #Nuclear physics #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Quantum, superfluid, helium dynamics #Sensitivity (control systems) #Superfluid helium-4 #Superfluidity #astro-ph.CO #cond-mat.other #hep-ph #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.117.121302
published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 121302 (2016) · 5 pages, 2 figures. v2: added references, updated fig 2 and corresponding discussion with simulation data; conclusions unchanged
arxiv created 2016/08/05 · openalex publication_date 2016/09/14 · arxiv updated 2016/09/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We show that a two-excitation process in superfluid helium, combined with sensitivity to meV energy depositions, can probe dark matter down to the ∼keV warm dark matter mass limit. This mass reach is 3 orders of magnitude below what can be probed with ordinary nuclear recoils in helium at the same energy resolution. For dark matter lighter than ∼100 keV, the kinematics of the process requires the two athermal excitations to have nearly equal and opposite momentum, potentially providing a built-in coincidence mechanism for controlling backgrounds.