First results from dark matter search experiment with LiF bolometer at Kamioka Underground Laboratory

Tokyo group has performed first underground dark matter search experiment in 2001 through 2002 at Kamioka Observatory(2700m.w.e). The detector is eight LiF bolometers with total mass 168g aiming for the direct detection of WIMPs via spin-dependent interaction. With a total exposure of 4.1 kg days, we derived the limits in the a_p-a_n (WIMP-nucleon couplings) plane and excluded a large part of the parameter space allowed by the UKDMC experiment.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figure

First Results from Dark Matter Search Experiment in the Nokogiriyama Underground Cell

An experiment to search for hypothetical particle dark matter using cryogenic thermal detector, or bolometer is ongoing. The bolometer consists of eight pieces of 21 g LiF absorbers and sensitive NTD germanium thermistors attached to them and is installed in the Nokogiriyama underground cell which is a shallow depth site ($\sim 15$ m w.e.). We report on the results from the first running for about ten days using this arrayed bolometer system together with appropriate shieldings and muon veto counters. From the obtained energy spectra the exclusion limits for the cross section of the elastic neutralino-proton scattering are derived under commonly accepted astrophysical assumptions. The sensitivity for the light neutralino with a mass below 5 GeV is improved by this work.Comment: 8 pages, Revtex, 4 figure

Limits on the WIMP-Nucleon Coupling Coefficients from Dark Matter Search Experiment with NaF Bolometer

We have performed the underground dark matter search experiment with a sodium fl uoride (NaF) bolometer array from 2002 through 2003 at Kamioka Observatory (2700 m.w.e.). The bolometer array consists of eight NaF absorbers with a total mass of 176 g, and sensitive NTD germanium thermistors glued to each of them. This experiment aims for the direct detection of weakly interacting massive part icles (WIMPs) via spin-dependent interaction. With an exposure of 3.38 kg days, we derived the limits on the WIMP-n ucleon coupling coefficients, a_p and a_n. These limits confirmed and tightened those derived from our previous results wit h the lithium fluoride (LiF) bolometer. Our results excluded the parameter space complementary to the results obtained b y NaI detectors of UKDMC experiment.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Design and test of an extremely high resolution Timing Counter for the MEG II experiment: preliminary results

The design and tests of Timing Counter elements for the upgrade of the MEG experiment, MEG II,is presented. The detector is based on several small plates of scintillator with a Silicon PhotoMultipliers dual-side readout. The optimisation of the single counter elements (SiPMs, scintillators, geometry) is described. Moreover, the results obtained with a first prototype tested at the Beam Test Facility (BTF) of the INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati (LNF) are presented.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures. Presented at the 13th Topical Seminar on Innovative Particle and Radiation Detectors (IPRD13) 7-10 October 2013 Siena, Ital

WIMP direct detection overview

This review on weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter direct detection focuses on experimental approaches and the corresponding physics basics. The presentation is intended to provide a quick and concise introduction for non-specialists to this fast evolving topic of astroparticle physics.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, invited review for the Proc. XXth Int. Conf. Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics, May 25-30, 2002, Munich, Germany; version includes correction of typo in eqn.2; to appear in Nucl. Phys. B Proc. Supp

New constraint on the existence of the mu+-> e+ gamma decay

The analysis of a combined data set, totaling 3.6 \times 10^14 stopped muons on target, in the search for the lepton flavour violating decay mu^+ -> e^+ gamma is presented. The data collected by the MEG experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institut show no excess of events compared to background expectations and yield a new upper limit on the branching ratio of this decay of 5.7 \times 10^-13 (90% confidence level). This represents a four times more stringent limit than the previous world best limit set by MEG.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, a version accepted in Phys. Rev. Let

The MEG detector for μ+→e+γ{\mu}+\to e+{\gamma} decay search

The MEG (Mu to Electron Gamma) experiment has been running at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), Switzerland since 2008 to search for the decay \meg\ by using one of the most intense continuous $\mu^+$ beams in the world. This paper presents the MEG components: the positron spectrometer, including a thin target, a superconducting magnet, a set of drift chambers for measuring the muon decay vertex and the positron momentum, a timing counter for measuring the positron time, and a liquid xenon detector for measuring the photon energy, position and time. The trigger system, the read-out electronics and the data acquisition system are also presented in detail. The paper is completed with a description of the equipment and techniques developed for the calibration in time and energy and the simulation of the whole apparatus.Comment: 59 pages, 90 figure

Measurement of the radiative decay of polarized muons in the MEG experiment

We studied the radiative muon decay $\mu^+ \to e^+\nu\bar{\nu}\gamma$ by using for the first time an almost fully polarized muon source. We identified a large sample (~13000) of these decays in a total sample of 1.8x10^14 positive muon decays collected in the MEG experiment in the years 2009--2010 and measured the branching ratio B($\mu^+ \to e^+\nu\bar{\nu}\gamma$) = (6.03+-0.14(stat.)+-0.53(sys.))x10^-8 for E_e > 45 MeV and E_{\gamma} > 40 MeV, consistent with the Standard Model prediction. The precise measurement of this decay mode provides a basic tool for the timing calibration, a normalization channel, and a strong quality check of the complete MEG experiment in the search for $\mu^+ \to e^+\gamma$ process.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures. Added an introduction to NLO calculation which was recently calculated. Published versio