Dark Matter Searches with Germanium and Silicon detectors in SuperCDMS and CUTE

Abstract

The Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (SuperCDMS) uses germanium and silicon semiconductor detectors to search for dark matter. Particle interactions with these detectors create observable signals in the form of phonons and electron-hole pair. We apply a voltage bias across these detectors, utilising the Neganov-Trofimov-Luke (NTL) effect to amplify the charge signal into phonons and search for the rare low-energy depositions of light dark matter. In CDMSlite Run 3, my work on a fiducial volume cut was a primary factor in being able to set at-the-time world-leading dark matter limits for WIMPs in the 1.6 to 5.5 GeV range. The Cryogenic Underground TEst facility (CUTE) is a detector testing facility operated at SNOLAB that has been used to test SuperCDMS detectors. One such de-tector is PD2, which when operated at a surface facility set leading WIMP exclusions. My work operating PD2 at CUTE and exploring the backgrounds and capabilities of CUTE using PD2 and other detectors paves the way for SuperCDMS detector testing at SNOLAB.