Low pressure negative ion time projection chamber for dark matter search

Abstract

Weakly interacting massive particles ͑WIMPs͒ are an attractive candidate for the dark matter thought to make up the bulk of the mass of our universe. We explore here the possibility of using a low pressure negative ion time projection chamber to search for WIMPs. The innovation of drifting ions, instead of electrons, allows the design of a detector with very high sensitivity and background rejection and a robust statistical signature for WIMP interactions.

The soft supersymmetry-breaking Lagrangian: theory and applications

“…Due to the daily rotation of the earth, the detector should then see a modulation between the nighttime and the daytime (diurnal modulation). The proposed experiment DRIFT [498] is thus far the only experiment that has enough directional sensitivity to take advantage of diurnal modulation. On the other hand, because this experiment relies on measuring ionization tracks in a low pressure gas, one drawback is the low target mass required by the low pressure gas.…”

Studies of neutron detection and backgrounds with the DRIFT-IIa dark matter detector

“…While these experiments are capable of identifying nuclear recoils, only the DRIFT project utilizes a technology that can take advantage of the predicted WIMP directional signature [8]. This arises from the expectation that the galaxy revolves within an effectively stationary WIMP halo such that an Earth-bound detector sees a WIMP 'wind' incident from the direction of the Solar System's motion through the galaxy.…”

A multiwire proportional chamber for precision studies of neutron decay angular correlations

“…[11]. The wire-winding machine was originally built for time projection chambers for the DRIFT dark matter search experiment [12]. We modified it replacing the weight that provides a constant tension to the wire with a hysteresis clutch/brake [13] which provides a constant torque, for a simpler operation.…”