Description:

Abstract: The nature of dark matter (DM) remains one of the most compelling open questions in particle physics and cosmology. The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment employs a dual-phase xenon time projection chamber (LXe-TPC) to search for DM-induced nuclear recoils deep below the Black Hills of South Dakota, at the Sanford Underground Research Facility.The first science run of LZ has recently concluded with an exposure of 330 tonne-days, with no excess over background observed.The large exposure and minute background rate achieved enabled LZ to probe DM-nucleon cross-sections below 10−47 cm2 at the 90% confidence level, making it the most sensitive detector in the world for DM with mass above ~10 GeV/c2. In this talk, I will review the principles of DM direct detection with LXe-TPCs, describe the LUX-ZEPLIN apparatus and operations timeline, and discuss the results of the first science run. 

Speaker: Dylan Temples, Fermilab Quantum Institute, Batavia