Simulation of ReD's Neutron Generator.

• Grant number: 25/10475-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Elementary Particle Physics and Fields
• Principal Investigator: Ivone Freire da Mota e Albuquerque
• Grantee: André Bedone Azeredo
• 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 stateof the art of these experiments, whose main targets are noble liquids, this effort is now at a zerobackground 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/c2) WIMP candidates. This is a challenge for these liquid noble detectors, since theywere optimized for energies higher than this threshold. Our project aims to contribute to thedetermination of the WIMP quenching factor at these lower energies, which is a crucial parameterto enable this low mass search within the DarkSide direct detection experimental effort.This IC is connected to the commissioning of a Neutron Generator (NG) which is under way atIFUSP. This generator will be used as a neutron beam for the measurement of the quenching factorof neutrons interacting with Liquid Argon at very low energies (below 5 keV). It is part of theRecoil Directionality (ReD) experiment, and its commissioning will de performed at our institute.It aims at the student getting acquainted with dark matter observations as well as with theefforts for its detection, focusing on the direct detection and the DarkSide experiment. Within thiscontext, our specific goal is for the student to learn the geant software package, and to include theNG experimental setup within this work frame.