Data-Driven Predictions for Dark Photon and Millicharged Particle Production

Abstract

Accurate signal predictions are essential for interpreting and optimizing fixed-target searches for new physics. Even in minimal models such as the dark photon ($A'$) or millicharged particles (mCPs), theoretical uncertainties in hadronic production can be substantial. We introduce a data-driven framework that predicts both the rate and kinematic distributions of $A'$ and mCP production directly from measured dilepton events, without relying on specific theoretical production models. This method uses the close correspondence between amplitudes for emission of $A'$ or mCPs, and for off-shell Standard Model photon production, the latter being experimentally measurable in full differential form. We demonstrate that normalizing flow models can learn these distributions from data and serve as a fast, realistic Monte Carlo generator for dark sector signal simulations.