arXiv subjects

Melih Solmaz

Publications and source records attributed to Melih Solmaz.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

The Direct Search Experiment for Light Dark Matter (DELight): Overview and Perspectives

Driven by the null results in the searches for dark matter, the field of direct dark matter detection is constantly evolving to push new frontiers. Ultimately, a vast parameter space for dark matter masses below a few GeV is yet to be explored. That said, low mass dark matter candidates necessitate novel detector designs with lower thresholds and alternative target materials. The Direct search Experiment for Light dark matter (DELight) will deploy a target of superfluid $^4$He instrumented with large area microcalorimeters (LAMCALs) based on magnetic microcalorimeter (MMC) technology in a setup optimized for low mass dark matter searches. This paper presents an overview of this novel upcoming experiment, including detection technology, sensitivity goals and R&D studies.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

An LNGS Mobile Neutron Detector (ALMOND): Mapping Ambient Neutron Background of Gran Sasso National Laboratory

In deep underground laboratories, environmental neutrons, which are produced at the cavern walls, introduce a source of background to rare event searches. The flux and spectrum of the ambient neutrons vary considerably with time and location. Precise knowledge of this background is necessary to devise shielding and veto mechanisms, thereby improving the sensitivity of the neutron-susceptible underground experiments. ALMOND, currently in operation, is a low-flux mobile neutron spectrometer developed for the LNGS underground laboratory to measure the ambient neutron background of the entire facility. In this paper, an overview of the design, construction and calibration of ALMOND is given. Furthermore, the result of the first underground neutron measurement is shown along with an outlook for future measurements and analyses.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2025

Commissioning of a mobile neutron spectrometer for LNGS

Environmental neutrons are a source of background for rare event searches in underground laboratories. Since the majority of the neutron background comes from the cavern walls due to the intrinsic radioactivity of concrete and rock, the flux is known to be time and location dependent. Therefore, a precise knowledge of the spectrum and of the total flux is needed to devise shielding and veto mechanisms for rare event searches. Here ALMOND (An LNGS Mobile Neutron Detector) is presented. It is a mobile neutron spectrometer, based on capture-gated spectroscopy and comprised of an array of plastic scintillator bars wrapped with gadolinium foils. The detector has been calibrated with Americium-Beryllium source at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and with an Americium-Boron source and a D-D generator at ENEA Frascati. The results of the neutron calibration with the time of flight method and the D-D generator are shown here, alongside the first results on capture time profile. Moreover, the first results from the neutron background run in Hall A at LNGS are presented.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2024

Signal partitioning in superfluid ${}^4$He: a Monte Carlo approach

Superfluid ${}^4$He is an ideal candidate for the direct detection of light dark matter via nuclear recoils thanks to its low nuclear mass and the possibility to reach a low detection energy threshold by exploiting the generated quasiparticles. The design of future detectors based on this target, such as the DELight experiment, requires a proper understanding of the formation and partitioning of the signal for different energy depositions from various sources. This work presents an overview of the physical processes involved in the energy deposition of recoiling electrons and ions, and describes a Monte Carlo approach to the partitioning of the signal into different channels. Despite an overall good agreement with existing literature, differences in the region of interest for light dark matter searches below 200 eV are observed.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2023

Design of a mobile neutron spectrometer for the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS)

Environmental neutrons are a source of background for rare event searches (e.g., dark matter direct detection and neutrinoless double beta decay experiments) taking place in deep underground laboratories. The overwhelming majority of these neutrons are produced in the cavern walls by means of intrinsic radioactivity of the rock and concrete. Their flux and spectrum depend on time and location. Precise knowledge of this background is necessary to devise sufficient shielding and veto mechanisms, improving the sensitivity of the neutron-susceptible underground experiments. In this report, we present the design and the expected performance of a mobile neutron detector for the LNGS underground laboratory. The detector is based on capture-gated spectroscopy technique and comprises essentially a stack of plastic scintillator bars wrapped by gadolinium foils. The extensive simulation studies demonstrate that the detector will be capable of measuring ambient neutrons at low flux levels ($\sim$$10^{-6}\,\mathrm{n/cm^2/s}$) at LNGS, where the ambient gamma flux is by about 5 orders of magnitude larger.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2017

Scalar Unparticle Signals at the LHC

If the scale invariance exists in nature, the so-called unparticle physics may become part of reality. The only way to refute or confirm this idea is through the experiments one of which is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). One of the peculiar properties of the unparticle stuff is that it gives striking multi-photon signals which has been studied through only the unparticle self-interactions. By considering not only the self-interactions of unparticles but also all the other possible contributions, which are dominant, a detailed study of the processes, within a scalar unparticle scenario, $pp\to 4γ$, $pp\to 2γ2g$, $pp\to 2γ2\ell$, $pp\to 4e$, $pp\to 4μ$ and $pp\to 2e2μ$ at $\sqrt{s}=14$ TeV at the LHC is carried out. We use basic selection cuts and analyze various distributions to discriminate the signals over the Standard Model backgrounds and discuss what seems to be the most likely channel among the above ones for an indirect manifestation of unparticle effects. We follow a new approach to tackle the issue with the three-point correlation function for the scalar unparticle self-interactions. We also obtain the exclusion region in the unparticle parameter space from the available two-photon data of the LHC.

hep-ph↗