Instrumentation of MEMS for Characterization of Low Energy Excess on the HVeV Dark Matter Detector

Document Type

Oral Presentation

Publication Date

4-17-2026

Abstract

Dark Matter is a mysterious component of the universe. Although it is the most abundant matter, 85 percent of the universe is DM, it does not interact with ordinary matter. There are numerous theories about dark matter. Its existence can be observed in the large-scale structure of the universe and the orbits of galaxies. Rarely will it cause interactions that can be observed by specific kinds of sensitive sensors. Using superconducting quantum sensors, the Dark Matter Quantum Information Science (DMQIS) group at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is looking for dark matter candidates in the sub-GeV range.

HVeV is an instrument built with thermally conductive materials that, when lowered to millikelvin temperatures, have superconductive properties. These properties, along with quantum-based sensors, can find small-scale dark matter candidates. However, the increased sensitivity in detectors has caused new issues, such as interfering background noise called Low Energy Excess (LEE). LEE prevents sensors from detecting dark-matter candidates, so to attenuate this interference, the instrument MEMS was designed and assembled to calibrate these sensitive superconductors. By characterizing MEMS capabilities and installing it in the dilution fridge, data can be collected and used to learn more about the Dark Matter sensor capabilities.

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