Astrophysical uncertainties in dark matter halo models produce O(1% to 100%) fractional deviations in predicted single-phonon rates, but can be captured by parameter variations within the Standard Halo Model after rms-matching.
Multi-Channel Direct Detection of Light Dark Matter: Theoretical Framework
4 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.
abstract
We present a unified theoretical framework for computing spin-independent direct detection rates via various channels relevant for sub-GeV dark matter -- nuclear recoils, electron transitions and single phonon excitations. Despite the very different physics involved, in each case the rate factorizes into the particle-level matrix element squared, and an integral over a target material- and channel-specific dynamic structure factor. We show how the dynamic structure factor can be derived in all three cases following the same procedure, and extend previous results in the literature in several aspects. For electron transitions, we incorporate directional dependence and point out potential daily modulation signals in anisotropic target materials. For single phonon excitations, we present a new derivation of the rate formula from first principles for generic spin-independent couplings, and include the first calculation of phonon excitation through electron couplings. We also discuss the interplay between single phonon excitations and nuclear recoils, and clarify the role of Umklapp processes, which can dominate the single phonon production rate for dark matter heavier than an MeV. Our results highlight the complementarity between various search channels in probing different kinematic regimes of dark matter scattering, and provide a common reference to connect dark matter theories with ongoing and future direct detection experiments.
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2026 4representative citing papers
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Astrophysical Uncertainties in Sub-GeV Dark Matter Detection via Single Phonon Excitations
Astrophysical uncertainties in dark matter halo models produce O(1% to 100%) fractional deviations in predicted single-phonon rates, but can be captured by parameter variations within the Standard Halo Model after rms-matching.
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Electronic Direct Detection of Light Dark Matter with Intermediate-Mass Mediators
For sub-GeV dark matter, the light and heavy mediator mass limits in direct detection are separated by up to three orders of magnitude in mediator mass, enabling precise sensitivity calculations for Si, Ge, and DAMIC-M targets.
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Dive deeper with SUBMARINE: SUB-Mev dArk matter diRect detectIon using bilayer grapheNE
Bilayer graphene enables sub-MeV dark matter detection via electronic excitations with small exposure and sidereal modulation signatures.
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Effective Field Theories for Material Media
Spacetime-symmetry-breaking Goldstone EFTs systematically describe bulk and localized excitations of solids, fluids, and superfluids, with new thermodynamic identifications and corrected scattering rates.