Neutron Generator Data Taking and Analysis.

• Grant number: 25/04761-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Elementary Particle Physics and Fields
• Principal Investigator: Ivone Freire da Mota e Albuquerque
• Grantee: Giovana Giudice Domingos
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física (IF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/11489-7 - Dark matter searches, AP.ESP

Abstract

Our project is inserted in the direct detection of dark matter experimental effort. Given the state of the art of these experiments, whose main targets are noble liquids, this effort is now at a zero background stage. This is due to the detection vessel being normally surrounded by vetos which, together with offline analysis, allows all background events to be understood and rejected.The direct dark matter probe has recently extended its region of interest to lower energy (< 10 GeV/c^2) WIMP candidates. This is a challenge for these liquid noble detectors, since they were optimized for energies higher than this threshold. Our project aims to contribute to the determination of the WIMP quenching factor at these lower energies, which is a crucial parameter to enable this low mass search within the DarkSide direct detection experimental effort.The goal of this IC is to understand the Neutron Generator effort that is under way at IFUSP. This generator will be used as a neutron beam for the measurement of the quenching factor of neutrons interacting with Liquid Argon at very low energies (below 5 keV). It is part of the Recoil Directionality (ReD) experiment, and its commissioning will de performed at our institute. (AU)