Phenomenology of Particle Dark Matter
We propose new particle models for dark matter and study the associated phenomenology. We are particularly interested in the complementary role of the different strategies to observe DM: direct, indirect, and collider detection (see for example 2206.01214).
SuperCDMS: Direct DM Detection
Our group is actively involved in the SuperCDMS experiment, one of the world-leading efforts to observe DM particles through their scattering on electrons and nuclei y underground targets. Given it excellent energy resolution, background discrimination and low energy threshold, SuperCDMS excels in the search for low-mass DM candidates
Characterising the Migdal Effect
The Migdal effect consists on the ionisation or the electronic excitation of an atom as a consequence of a nuclear recoil . This effect is extremely interesting for dark matter detection, as it provides a low energy signal that allows to improve the sensitivity to sum-GeV DM.
We are involved in the MIGDAL experiment, helping to develop the photomultiplier array for the next experimental phase.
New Neutrino Physics and Direct Detection
Neutrinos constitute an unwanted but unavoidable background in direct DM detection experiments, as their expected signal mimics that of a WIMP. In practise, this sets a lower in the dark matter scattering cross section that a direct detection can explore before starting to observe too many neutrinos. This limitation is know as the neutrino floor. To make things worse, new physics in the neutrino sector can increase their interactions, thereby raising the neutrino floor (see e.g., 1809.06385).
A much more positive implication is that direct detection experiments will soon be able to detect solar neutrinos and this information can be used to probe new physics models, especially those involving low mass mediators (2006.11225, 2104.03297). Interestingly, direct detection happens to be complementary to dedicated neutrino experiments when probing the most general parameter space of non-standard neutrino interactions (2302.12846).
Compact Astrophysical Objects as Probes of Neutrino Physics
Compact astrophysical objects such as neutron stars that result from supernovae explosions offer excellent conditions to test neutrino physics. Among other things, new interactions in the neutrino sector can increase the neutrino-nucleus scattering cross section, thereby delaying the emitted neutrino signal (which is known from SN1987A to be of the order of 10s). This allows us to determine constraints on new couplings which are complementary to those from neutrino experiments (see 2106.11660).
This can even be applied to neutrino self-interactions, especially if a new light mediator is produced on-shell (2301.00661).