Probing dark matter interactions with a RES-NOVA prototype cryogenic detector
Abstract
We report on the operation of a 13 g PbWO crystal, grown from archaeological Pb and operated as a cryogenic calorimeter in an underground environment. Read out with a Ge thermistor, the detector achieves a low energy threshold and, for the first time, enables the derivation of a dark matter exclusion limit using PbWO as target material, for both spin-dependent interactions on neutrons and spin-independent interactions. Although limited in mass and not representative of the final RES-NOVA detector design, this prototype demonstrates effective control of mechanical vibrations and low-energy noise in a cryogenic system, which is a key requirement for rare-event searches. The experiment therefore provides a proof of principle for the RES-NOVA detection concept, validating the use of archaeological Pb-based PbWO crystals, low-background operation, and robust data-analysis procedures. These results establish a solid technological and methodological foundation for future RES-NOVA detectors employing larger target masses and advanced thermal readout technologies.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2601.16251,
title = {Probing dark matter interactions with a RES-NOVA prototype cryogenic detector},
author = {D. Alloni and G. Benato and P. Carniti and M. Cataldo and L. Chen and M. Clemenza and M. Consonni and G. Croci and I. Dafinei and F. A. Danevich and C. de Vecchi and D. Di Martino and E. Di Stefano and N. Ferreiro Iachellini and F. Ferroni and F. Filippini and S. Ghislandi and A. Giachero and L. Gironi and C. Gotti and D. L. Helis and D. V. Kasperovych and V. V. Kobychev and G. Marcucci and A. Melchiorre and A. Menegolli and S. Nisi and M. Musa and L. Pagnanini and L. Pattavina and G. Pessina and S. Pirro and S. Pozzi and M. C. Prata and A. Puiu and S. Quitadamo and M. P. Riccardi and M. Ricci and M. Rossella and R. Rossini and E. Sala and F. Saliu and A. Salvini and V. I. Tretyak and L. Trombetta and D. Trotta and H. Yuan},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2601.16251},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
Updated version: incorporating systematic uncertainties into limit calculation