arXiv subjects

T. Van Wechel

Publications and source records attributed to T. Van Wechel.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

First Production of Skipper-CCD Modules for the DAMIC-M Experiment

The DAMIC-M experiment will search for sub-GeV dark matter particles with a large array of silicon skipper charge-coupled devices (CCDs) at the Modane Underground Laboratory (LSM) in France. After five years of development, we recently completed the production of 28 CCD modules at the University of Washington, each consisting of four 9-megapixel skipper CCDs. Material screening and background controls were implemented to meet stringent radio-purity targets, while extensive testing was employed to select science-grade CCDs for the modules and confirm their excellent performance after fabrication. Further testing at LSM will select 26 of these modules (${\sim}$350 g active mass) to be installed and operated in the DAMIC-M detector in early 2026.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2024

The DAMIC-M Low Background Chamber

The DArk Matter In CCDs at Modane (DAMIC-M) experiment is designed to search for light dark matter (m$_χ$<10\,GeV/c$^2$) at the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane (LSM) in France. DAMIC-M will use skipper charge-coupled devices (CCDs) as a kg-scale active detector target. Its single-electron resolution will enable eV-scale energy thresholds and thus world-leading sensitivity to a range of hidden sector dark matter candidates. A DAMIC-M prototype, the Low Background Chamber (LBC), has been taking data at LSM since 2022. The LBC provides a low-background environment, which has been used to characterize skipper CCDs, study dark current, and measure radiopurity of materials planned for DAMIC-M. It also allows testing of various subsystems like readout electronics, data acquisition software, and slow control. This paper describes the technical design and performance of the LBC.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2022

The DAMIC-M Experiment: Status and First Results

The DAMIC-M (DArk Matter In CCDs at Modane) experiment employs thick, fully depleted silicon charged-coupled devices (CCDs) to search for dark matter particles with a target exposure of 1 kg-year. A novel skipper readout implemented in the CCDs provides single electron resolution through multiple non-destructive measurements of the individual pixel charge, pushing the detection threshold to the eV-scale. DAMIC-M will advance by several orders of magnitude the exploration of the dark matter particle hypothesis, in particular of candidates pertaining to the so-called "hidden sector." A prototype, the Low Background Chamber (LBC), with 20g of low background Skipper CCDs, has been recently installed at Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane and is currently taking data. We will report the status of the DAMIC-M experiment and first results obtained with LBC commissioning data.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

A Monte Carlo simulation of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory proportional counters

The third phase of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) experiment added an array of 3He proportional counters to the detector. The purpose of this Neutral Current Detection (NCD) array was to observe neutrons resulting from neutral-current solar neutrino-deuteron interactions. We have developed a detailed simulation of the current pulses from the NCD array proportional counters, from the primary neutron capture on 3He through the NCD array signal-processing electronics. This NCD array Monte Carlo simulation was used to model the alpha-decay background in SNO's third-phase 8B solar-neutrino measurement.

physics.ins-det↗