LEGEND-200's Sensitivity to Fractionally Charged Particles
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: LEGEND-200 is an ultra-low-background experiment designed to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay using high-purity germanium detectors enriched in Ge^76. Its low background rates and high sensitivity also make it a powerful tool for probing Beyond-the-Standard-Model physics. This work presents simulation studies of fractionally charged particles (FCPs) passing through LEGEND-200 to assess the sensitivity of the experiment to such particles. FCPs are hypothetical particles that carry an electric charge smaller than the elementary charge $e$. The primary goal of this study is to determine whether existing LEGEND-200 data can be used to set a world-leading limit on the flux of FCPs. In addition, we explore how a new data-taking strategy could improve sensitivity. Based on these simulations, LEGEND-200 can set a world leading limit on the flux of FCPs in the charge range e/82 to e/18 with one year of data collection and a new data taking strategy, and range e/18 to e/48 with the current data taking strategy.
DOI: 10.17615/a71x-mf19
Author: Chapman, Carter
Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Language: English
Topic: Neutrino Physics Research
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7105079364
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