First direct search for light dark matter interactions in a transition-edge sensor
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: We propose the use of transition-edge sensor (TES) single-photon detectors as a simultaneous target and sensor for direct dark matter searches and report results from the first search of this kind. We perform a 489 h science run with a TES device optimized for the detection of 1064 nm photons, with a mass of ∼ 0.2 ng and an energy threshold of ∼ 0.3 eV , and set new limits on dark matter interactions with both electrons and nucleons for dark matter with mass below the MeV scale. With their excellent energy resolution, TESs enable search strategies that are complementary to recent results from superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors and kinetic inductance detectors. We show that next-generation TES arrays hold promise to probe new regions of light dark matter parameter space.
DOI: 10.1103/zytz-n25v
Institutions: Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Cornell University, Helmut Schmidt University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, University of Southern Denmark, Centre for Cosmology and Particle Physics Phenomenology
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Funders: European Commission, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation, Israel Science Foundation, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Helmholtz Association, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, European Research Council
OpenAlex ID: W4414682122