Scalar direct detection: in-medium effects

DOI10.1016/J.PHYSLETB.2020.135779zbMATH Open1473.81246arXiv2006.13909OpenAlexW3037383407MaRDI QIDQ822406FDOQ822406

Authors: Graciela B. Gelmini, Volodymyr Takhistov, Edoardo Vitagliano 

Publication date: 22 September 2021

Published in: Physics Letters B (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: A simple extension of the Standard Model consists of a scalar field that can potentially constitute the dark matter (DM). Significant attention has been devoted to probing light $mathcalO(lesssim10meV)$ scalar DM, with a multitude of experimental proposals based on condensed matter systems as well as novel materials. However, the previously overlooked effective in-medium mixing of light scalars with longitudinal plasmons can strongly modify the original sensitivity calculations of the direct detection experiments. We implement the in-medium effects for scalar DM detection, using thermal field theory techniques, and show that the reach of a large class of direct DM detection experiments searching for light scalars is significantly reduced. This development identifies setups based on Dirac materials and tunable plasma haloscopes as particularly promising for scalar DM detection. Further, we also show that scalars with significant boost with respect to halo DM, such as those produced in the Sun, decay of other particles or by cosmic rays, will not suffer from in-medium suppression. Hence, multi-tonne direct DM detection experiments, such as those based on xenon or argon, also constitute a favorable target. We also discuss scalar mediated DM scattering.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.13909

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Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Thermal quantum field theory (81T28) Unified quantum theories (81V22) Radiative transfer in astronomy and astrophysics (85A25) Dark matter and dark energy (83C56)

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Cited In (3)

• Input-output properties of the Page-Hinkley detector
• Investigating the environmental dependence of ultralight scalar dark matter with atom interferometers
• Hadrophilic light dark matter from the atmosphere

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