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H. Ma

Publications and source records attributed to H. Ma.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Constraining Axion-Like-Particles with germanium detector at the Kuo-Sheng Reactor Neutrino Laboratory

We present results of a search for Axion-Like Particles (ALPs) produced $via$ Primakoff and Compton-like scattering channels, using data acquired with TEXONO experiment at the Kuo-Sheng Nuclear Power Station. The analysis is based on 278.91 days of reactor-ON and 43.60 days of reactor-OFF data. These datasets were collected using a 1.06 kg high-purity germanium detector located 28 m from a 2.9 GW reactor core. No significant excess is observed in the residual spectrum from the reactor-ON and reactor-OFF data subtraction. Using data acquired with low-background germanium detectors, upper limits on both the ALP-photon ($g_{a\gamma\gamma}$) and ALP-electron ($g_{aee}$) couplings are derived for ALP masses ranging from 1 eV to 3 MeV at 90\% confidence level. Since both $g_{a\gamma\gamma}$ and $g_{aee}$ couplings contribute to ALP production and detection, a combined analysis is performed by treating both channels as active parameters.

hep-ex

Quality control and quality assurance evaluation of ALFE2, a large-dynamic-range front-end ASIC de-veloped for the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeter high-luminosity LHC upgrade

ALFE2 is a front-end ASIC developed for the ATLAS Liquid Argon (LAr) Calorimeter upgrade during the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) phase. ALFE2 comprises four preamplifier/shaper channels, each providing two distinct gain outputs to cover a 16-bit dynamic range. A robotic system has been developed for the automatic quality control test of ALFE2, and over 10% of the 80,000 chips have been evaluated by September 2025. The evaluation has allowed us to establish grading criteria. Using these criteria, a yield of over 85% was achieved in the evaluation tests, and these criteria are now being applied to the ongoing full-production QC. Irradiation tests were also performed for the quality assurance of ALFE2. No significant performance degradation was observed during the total-ionizing-dose (TID) test. Based on the single-event effect (SEE) test results, an error rate of fewer than 4.6 single-event upsets (SEUs) per day is extrapolated for the entire ATLAS LAr Calorimeter during HL-LHC operation.

physics.ins-det

Studies of Neutrino-Nucleus Elastic Scattering with Point-Contact Germanium Detectors at the Kuo-Sheng Reactor Neutrino Laboratory

The low energy and intense flux of electron anti-neutrinos from nuclear reactors provide the perfect stage to study elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering ($\nu A_{el}$) in the fully coherent regime. We report results from the TEXONO experiment using electro-cooled $p$-type point-contact Germanium detectors with masses of 523~g and 1434~g at the Kuo-Sheng Reactor Neutrino Laboratory. We report improved constraints on the $\nu A_{el}$ cross section with a combined exposure of 404(813.7)~kg-days of Reactor ON(OFF) data at an electron-equivalent threshold of 200~eV$_{ee}$. The Lindhard model, in which the quenching factor is parameterized by a single parameter k, is adopted to describe the suppression of ionization yield. At the benchmark value of k=0.162, a limit of $\rho<$2.0 at 90\% confidence level (CL) is derived, where $\rho$ represents the ratio of the observed to the predicted Standard Model cross section. Moreover the region k$>$0.205 is excluded at 90\% CL using the SM-predicted $\nu A_{el}$ rate. A bound on the neutrino magnetic moment from $\nu A_{el}$ at $\mu_{\nu} {<} 5.9 \times 10^{-10}~\mu_B$ at 90\% CL is also derived.

hep-ex

Search for Cosmic Ray Electron Boosted Dark Matter with the CDEX-10 Experiment

We present new constraints on the cosmic ray electron boosted light dark matter (CReDM) using the 205.4 kg$\cdot$day data of the CDEX-10 experiment located at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. The cosmic ray electron spectrum and distribution in the Galaxy are generated by the $\tt GALPROP$ code package. In the calculation process of DM-electron scattering process in the Galaxy, we consider the energy-dependency of the DM-electron scattering cross section. The constraints on CReDM are set for both heavy and light mediator scenarios using the CDEX-10 dataset. The result exceeds previous Standard Halo Model (SHM) limits for DM mass lower than 0.6 MeV in heavy mediator case and corresponds to the best sensitivity among all direct detection experiments from 1 keV to 0.5 MeV in the light mediator scenario.

hep-ex

In-situ environmental radiation background measurement in the second phase of CJPL

China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL), the deepest and largest underground laboratory worldwide, provides a low radiation background environment, which is necessary to frontier scientific research, such as the experimental studies of rare-event physics. Due to the almost filled space of CJPL-I and the requirement of future physics experiments, the construction of the second phase of CJPL (CJPL-II) was started in 2020 and all finished in 2024. In this work, we report the measured results of major environmental radiation in CJPL-II, including cosmic-ray muons, radon, gamma rays, and neutrons. Results indicate that the rock overburden and the radioactive background control effectively minimize the environmental radiation background. The scientific data presented also serve as an important basis to detector background modeling for the physics experiments in CJPL-II.

physics.ins-det

Measurement of cosmic-ray muon flux at CJPL-II

In China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL), the deepest and largest underground laboratory globally, the cosmic-ray muon flux is significantly reduced due to the substantial shielding provided by the overlying mountain. From 2016 to 2020, we measured the muon flux in the second phase of CJPL (CJPL-II) with a plastic scintillator muon telescope system, detecting 161 muon events over an effective live time of 1098 days. The detection efficiency was obtained by simulating the underground muon energy and angular distributions and the telescope system's response to underground muons. The cosmic-ray muon flux is determined to be (3.03 $\pm$ 0.24 (stat) $\pm$ 0.18 (sys)) $\times$ 10$^{-10}$ cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$, which is the lowest among underground laboratories worldwide.

astro-ph.HE

Pulse shape simulation for the reduced charge collection layer in p-type high-purity germanium detectors

$P$-type high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors are widely used across many scientific domains, and current data analysis methods have served well in many use cases. However, applications like low-background experiments that search for rare physics, such as dark matter, neutrinoless double-beta decay, and coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering, could profit a lot from a more detailed understanding of the detector response close to the surface. The outer $n^+$ electrode of the $p$-type HPGe detector forms a layer with reduced charge collection, and events originating here can be a critical background source in such experiments. If the difference in detector pulse shape between detector surface and bulk events is known, it can be used to identify and veto these background events. However, a faithful simulation of the detector response in this surface region is difficult and has not been available as a standard method so far. We present a novel three-dimensional pulse shape simulation method for this reduced charge collection (RCC) layer. We have implemented this method as a new feature in the open-source simulation package \emph{SolidStateDetectors$.$jl} and show a validation of the numerical simulation results with analytical calculations. An experimental study using a $p$-type HPGe detector also validates our approach. The current implementation supports $p$-type HPGe detectors of fairly arbitrary geometry, but is easily adaptable to $n$-type detectors by adjusting the impurity density profile of the layer. It should also be adaptable to other semiconductor materials in a straightforward fashion.

physics.ins-det

Constraints on ultraheavy dark matter from the CDEX-10 experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory

We report a search for ultraheavy dark matter (UHDM) with the CDEX-10 experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. Using a Monte Carlo framework that incorporates Earth shielding effects, we simulated UHDM propagation and energy deposition in p-type point-contact germanium detectors. Analysis of 205.4 kg$\cdot$day exposure in the 0.16--4.16 keVee range showed no excess above background. Our results exclude the spin-independent UHDM-nucleon scattering with two cross section scales, with the UHDM mass from $10^6$ to $10^{11}$ GeV, and provide the most stringent constraints with solid-state detectors below $10^8$ GeV.

hep-ex

Constraints on inelastic dark matter from the CDEX-1B experiment

We present limits on spin-independent inelastic weakly interacting massive particles (WIMP)-nucleus scattering using the 737.1 kg$\cdot$day dataset from the CDEX-1B experiment. Expected nuclear recoil spectra for various inelastic WIMP masses $m_\chi$ and mass splittings $\delta$ are calculated under the standard halo model. An accurate background model of CDEX-1B is constructed by simulating all major background sources. The model parameters are then determined through maximum likelihood estimation and Markov chain Monte Carlo fitting. The resulting 90\% confidence level upper limits on the WIMP-nucleon cross section $\sigma_{\mathrm{n}}$ exclude certain DAMA/LIBRA allowed regions: the $\chi^2 < 4$ regions for $\delta < 30$ keV at $m_\chi = 250$ GeV and the $\chi^2 < 9$ region for $\delta < 50$ keV at $m_\chi = 500$ GeV. The method is applicable to other inelastic dark matter scenarios, and the upcoming CDEX-50 experiment is expected to improve sensitivity by four orders of magnitude.

hep-ex

Community Report from the 2025 SNOLAB Future Projects Workshop

SNOLAB hosts a biannual Future Projects Workshop (FPW) with the goal of encouraging future project stakeholders to present ideas, concepts, and needs for experiments or programs that could one day be hosted at SNOLAB. The 2025 FPW was held in the larger context of a 15-year planning exercise requested by the Canada Foundation for Innovation. This report collects input from the community, including both contributions to the workshop and contributions that could not be scheduled in the workshop but nonetheless are important to the community.

hep-ex

Calculation and comparison of sensitivities in $0\nu\beta\beta$ experiments based on key parameters

Worldwide efforts are underway to detect neutrinoless double beta ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decay using experiments based on various technologies and target isotopes. Future experiments in this regard aim to exclude the inverted order (IO) condition or explore the normal order (NO) band. Consequently, comparing the sensitivities of proposed $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay experiments with promising prospects is essential. The current study adopts sensitivity metrics, including exclusion and discovery sensitivities, half-life sensitivities, and $m_{\beta\beta}$ sensitivities, to provide a comprehensive evaluation of ten typical promising experiments: LEGEND, CDEX, nEXO, XLZD, PandaX, NEXT, KamLAND-Zen, JUNO, SNO+, and CUPID, and highlight their unique features. Based on reported experimental parameters, the concept of a ``technical line'' is introduced to determine the location that each experiment may realize in the $\xi$ and $\lambda_{b}$ space, where $\xi$ represents the sensitive exposure per year, and $\lambda_{b}$ denotes the expected annual rate of background events. Half-life sensitivities for the selected experiments are calculated, some of them in multiple phases and others in conservative or aggressive condition. The results indicate that increasing the operation time is more beneficial for zero-background experiments, which also demonstrate greater competitiveness in discovery sensitivity. $m_{\beta\beta}$ sensitivities are presented as uncertainty bands arising from the nuclear matrix element uncertainties. Additionally, half-life and $m_{\beta\beta}$ sensitivities are estimated under ideal conditions also in the form of uncertainty bands, where only irreducible $2\nu\beta\beta$ and solar B-8 neutrino induced background remain.

nucl-ex

Constraints on dark matter boosted by supernova shock within the effective field theory framework from the CDEX-10 experiment

Supernova shocks can boost dark matter (DM) particles to high, yet nonrelativistic, velocities, providing a suitable mechanism for analysis within the framework of the nonrelativistic effective field theory (NREFT). These accelerated DM sources extend the experimental ability to scan the parameter space of light DM into the sub-GeV region. In this study, we specifically analyze DM accelerated by the Monogem Ring supernova remnant, whose age ($\sim 68000$ yr) and distance to Earth ($\sim 300$ parsec) are strategically matched to enable detection with current terrestrial detectors. Utilizing the 205.4 kg$\cdot$day data obtained from the CDEX-10 experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory, we derive new constraints on boosted DM within the NREFT framework. The NREFT coupling constant exclusion regions now penetrate the sub-GeV mass range, with optimal sensitivity achieved for operators $\mathcal{O}_{3}$, $\mathcal{O}_{6}$, $\mathcal{O}_{15}$ in the 0.4--0.6 GeV mass range.

hep-ph

Pressure-induced topological changes in Fermi surface of two-dimensional molecular conductor

We demonstrated X-ray structural analysis of the pressure-induced superconductor, $\beta'$-ET$_2$ICl$_2$ under extremely high-pressure conditions, where ET denotes bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene. This material has been known as the highest transition temperature ($T_c$) superconductor among organic superconductors ($T_c=14.2$ K at $8.2$ GPa). On the basis of the experimental results, ab-initio models were derived using the constrained random phase approximation. We revealed that the Lifshitz transition exists behind the Mott insulator-metal transition and found that the value of the on-site Coulomb interaction was halved to around $10$ GPa compared to that at ambient pressure. This study clarifies the enigmatic origins of high $T_{\rm c}$, and concurrently, provides a new understanding of the impacts of structural alterations in organic materials under high pressure on their electronic properties and the superconductivity process.

cond-mat.supr-con

Evaluation of cosmogenic Ge-68 background in a high purity germanium detector via a time series fitting method

Ge-68 is a cosmogenic isotope in germanium with a half-life of 270.9 days.Ge-68 and its decay daughter Ga-68 contribute considerable background with energy up to 3 MeV to low background $\gamma$ spectrometers using high purity germanium (HPGe) detectors. In this paper, we evaluated the background of Ge-68 and Ga-68 in a $p$-type coaxial HPGe detector operated at China Jinping underground laboratory (CJPL) via a time series fitting method. Under the assumption that Ge-68 and Ga-68 are in radioactive equilibrium and airborne radon daughters are uniformly distributed in the measurement chamber of the spectrometer, we fit the time series of count rate in 1-3 MeV to calculate the Ge-68 activity, radon daughter concentrations, and the time-invariant background component. A total of 90-day measurement data were used in the analysis, a hypothesis test confirmed a significant Ge-68 signal at 99.64% confidence level. The initial activity of Ge-68 is fitted to be 477.0$\pm$112.4 $\mu$Bq/kg, corresponding to an integral count rate of 55.9 count/day in the 1-3 MeV range. During the measurement, Ge-68 activity decreased by about 30%, contributing about 62% of the total background in the 1-3 MeV range. Our method also provides an estimation of the variation of airborne radon daughter concentrations in the measurement chamber, which could be used to monitor the performance of radon reduction measures.

physics.ins-det

Dark Matter Annual Modulation Analysis with Combined Nuclear and Electron Recoil Channels

After decades of experimental efforts, the DAMA/LIBRA(DL) annual modulation (AM) analysis on the $\chi N$ (WIMP Dark Matter interactions on nucleus) channel remains the only one which can be interpreted as positive signatures. This has been refuted by numerous time-integrated (TI) and AM analysis. It has been shown that $\chi e$ (WIMP interactions with electrons) alone is not compatible with the DL AM data. We expand the investigations by performing an AM analysis with the addition of $\chi e$ long-range and short-range interactions to $\chi N$, derived using the Frozen Core Approximation method. Two scenarios are considered, where the $\chi N$ and $\chi e$ processes are due to a single $\chi$ ($\Gamma^{1 \chi}_{tot}$) or two different $\chi$'s ($\Gamma^{2 \chi}_{tot}$). The combined fits with $\chi N$ and $\chi e$ provide stronger significance to the DL AM data which are compatible with the presence of additional physical effects beyond $\chi N$ alone. This is the first analysis which explores how $\chi e$ AM can play a role in DL AM. The revised allowed regions as well as the exclusion contours from the other null AM experiments are presented. All DL AM allowed parameter spaces in $\chi N$ and $\chi e$ channels under both $\Gamma^{1 \chi}_{tot}$ and $\Gamma^{2 \chi}_{tot}$ are excluded at the 90\% confidence level by the combined null AM results. It can be projected that DL-allowed parameter spaces from generic models with interactions induced by two-WIMPs are ruled out.

hep-ex

New Limits on Coherent Neutrino Nucleus Elastic Scattering Cross Section at the Kuo-Sheng Reactor Neutrino Laboratory

Neutrino nucleus elastic scattering ({\nu}Ael) with reactor neutrinos is an interaction under full quantum-mechanical coherence. It has not yet been experimentally observed. We present new results on the studies of {\nu}Ael cross section with an electro-cooled p-type point-contact germanium detector at the Kuo-Sheng Reactor Neutrino laboratory. A total of (242)357 kg-days of Reactor ON(OFF) data at a detector threshold of 200 eVee in electron equivalent unit are analyzed. The Lindhard model parametrized by a single variable k which characterizes the quenching function was used. Limits at 90% confidence level are derived on the ratio {\rho} relative to standard model (SM) cross section of {\rho}<4.7 at the predicted value of k=0.162, while k<0.285 at the SM-value of {\rho}=1. Prospects on future positive measurements are discussed.

nucl-ex

Search for solar axions by Primakoff effect with the full dataset of the CDEX-1B Experiment

We present the first limit on $g_{A\gamma}$ coupling constant using the Bragg-Primakoff conversion based on an exposure of 1107.5 kg days of data from the CDEX-1B experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. The data are consistent with the null signal hypothesis, and no excess signals are observed. Limits of the coupling $g_{A\gamma}<2.08\times10^{-9}$ GeV$^{-1}$ (95\% C.L.) are derived for axions with mass up to 100 eV/$c^2$. Within the hadronic model of KSVZ, our results exclude axion mass $>5.3~\rm{eV}/c^2$ at 95\% C.L.

hep-ex

First search for light fermionic dark matter absorption on electrons using germanium detector in CDEX-10 experiment

We present the first results of the search for sub-MeV fermionic dark matter absorbed by electron targets of germanium using the 205.4~kg$\cdot$day data collected by the CDEX-10 experiment, with the analysis threshold of 160~eVee. No significant dark matter (DM) signals over the background are observed. Results are presented as limits on the cross section of DM--electron interaction. We present new constraints of cross section in the DM range of 0.1--10 keV/$c^2$ for vector and axial-vector interaction. The upper limit on the cross section is set to be $\rm 6.8\times10^{-46}~cm^2$ for vector interaction, and $\rm 2.3\times10^{-46}~cm^2$ for axial-vector interaction at DM mass of 5 keV/$c^2$.

hep-ex