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Determining Dark-Matter-Electron Scattering Rates from the Dielectric Function.

Yonit Hochberg1, Yonatan Kahn2,3, Noah Kurinsky4,5

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Physical Review Letters
|October 22, 2021
PubMed
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This summary is machine-generated.

We present a new method to calculate dark matter-electron scattering rates in materials using the dielectric function. This approach enhances detector calibration and reveals new possibilities for superconductor detectors in dark matter searches.

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Area of Science:

  • * Condensed matter physics
  • * Particle astrophysics
  • * Materials science

Background:

  • * Detecting dark matter particles (DM) often relies on their interactions with detector materials.
  • * Previous theoretical calculations of DM-electron scattering faced uncertainties in electronic wave functions and many-body effects.
  • * A more robust and experimentally verifiable method is needed to improve DM detection sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To establish a general formalism for calculating DM-electron scattering rates in arbitrary materials.
  • * To incorporate many-body effects and eliminate theoretical uncertainties in electronic structure.
  • * To enable direct experimental calibration of DM detection signals using electromagnetic probes.

Main Methods:

  • * Formulation of DM-electron scattering rate based on the complex dielectric function of the material.
  • * Inclusion of many-body effects through the dielectric function.
  • * Application of the formalism to standard semiconductor and superconductor targets, including heavy-fermion superconductors.

Main Results:

  • * The DM-electron scattering rate is directly linked to the experimentally measurable complex dielectric function.
  • * This method removes systematic uncertainties related to electronic wave functions.
  • * Superconductor detectors show significantly enhanced reach for light dark matter mediators, exceeding prior estimates.
  • * Novel electron scattering targets, like heavy-fermion superconductors, can be rapidly investigated.

Conclusions:

  • * The dielectric function provides a universal and experimentally grounded approach to DM-electron scattering.
  • * This formalism significantly improves the theoretical prediction and experimental calibration for DM detectors.
  • * Superconducting materials offer a promising avenue for discovering light dark matter particles.