Journal Article

The COSINUS project: perspectives of a NaI scintillating calorimeter for dark matter search

Gütlein, A., Reindl, F., Schieck, J., Seidel, W., Pessina, G., Gironi, L., Pröbst, F., Hauff, D., Maino, M., Nagorny, S. S., Carniti, P., Cassina, L., Pagnanini, L., Pirro, S., Angloher, G., Petricca, F., Schäffner, K., Gotti, C.

2016

Overview

The R&D project COSINUS (Cryogenic Observatory for SIgnatures seen in Next-generation Underground Searches) aims to develop a cryogenic scintillating calorimeter using an undoped NaI-crystal as target for direct dark matter search. Dark matter particles interacting with the detector material generate both a phonon signal and scintillation light. While the phonon signal provides a precise determination of the deposited energy, the simultaneously measured scintillation light allows for particle identification on an event-by-event basis, a powerful tool to study material-dependent interactions, and to suppress backgrounds. Using the same target material as the DAMA/LIBRA collaboration, the COSINUS technique may offer a unique possibility to investigate and contribute information to the presently controversial situation in the dark matter sector. We report on the dedicated design planned for the NaI proof-of-principle detector and the objectives of using this detection technique in the light of direct dark matter detection.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Astronomy / Astrophysics and Cosmology / Dark matter / Detection equipment / Elementary Particles / Energy (Physics) / Hadrons / Heavy Ions / Measurement Science and Instrumentation / Nuclear Energy / Nuclear Physics / Physics / Physics and Astronomy / Quantum Field Theories / Quantum Field Theory / Regular Article - Experimental Physics / String Theory