1–5 Jun 2026
Paraninfo, University of Zaragoza
Europe/Madrid timezone

Low-mass WIMP search challenges with the TREX-DM experiment.

3 Jun 2026, 15:40
20m
Aula Magna

Aula Magna

Speaker

Álvaro Ezquerro Sastre (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Description

The TREX-DM experiment is a high-pressure gaseous Time Projection Chamber (TPC), located at Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC, 2500 m.w.e.), conceived to search for low-mass WIMPs (m < 10 GeV/c2) using novel radiopure Micromegas detectors. In order to be competitive in this low-mass region, TREX-DM faces the challenges of very low background level (order 1 c/keV/day/kg), low energy threshold (typically < 1 keVee) and the optimisation of the gas mixture used (lighter mixtures are preferred). A description of the detector specifications is discussed along with the latest improvements of the experiment and the current status of the high-pressure data taking campaigns. The successful introduction of a GEM as a preamplification stage have already demonstrated the TREX-DM potential to go down to the single-electron ionisation detection. This low energy threshold allows to reach sensitivities in an unexplored low mass WIMP parameter space.

Main Contribution topic Direct detection
Secondary contribution topic Light Dark Matter

Author

Álvaro Ezquerro Sastre (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Presentation materials