Development of data analysis and experimental techniques in the COSINE-100U experiment

• Grant number: 25/01639-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: August 31, 2025
• End date: February 27, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Elementary Particle Physics and Fields
• Principal Investigator: Nelson Carlin Filho
• Grantee: Luis Eduardo Funo de Moura França
• Supervisor: Hyun Su Lee
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física (IF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Institute For Basic Science, South Korea
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/13293-5 - Dark Photons, Axions and Interaction between WIMPs and Electrons in the COSINE-100 and COSINE-200 Experiments, BP.DR

Abstract

The COSINE collaboration is made up of researchers from 5 countries, including our research group at University of São Paulo. The Institute for Basic Science is a basic science research institution of excellence in South Korea, and hosts the COSINE-100 experiment, whose main goal is to detect dark matter. It was located at the YangYang underground laboratory in South Korea, and operated for more than 6 years. The main detectors of the experiment are 106 kg of NaI(Tl) crystals. Several relevant articles have been published by the collaboration, with emphasis to those related to the search for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). The COSINE-100U experiment, an upgrade of the former COSINE-100, is currently being installed at the Yemilab underground laboratory, also in South Korea, and will enhance the detector sensitivity to many dark matter models, especially for sub-GeV WIMPs. The analysis started by the student, and the main subject of the PhD project, focus on the study of the WIMP-electron interaction in COSINE-100 and COSINE-100U. Relevant progress has already been achieved, but a more sensitive analysis in COSINE-100 and COSINE-100U is proposed, with potential competitiveness with leading edge experiments. The detectors' monitoring and analysis of muon data in the experiments have also been started by the student, and the research internship abroad can greatly contribute to the excellence of these analyses in COSINE-100 and for future studies in COSINE-100U. Tests and analysis of data from a muon detector constructed at University of São Paulo can also be improved by the acquired experience in the internship abroad.