Cryogenic Characterization of FBK RGB-HD SiPMs

We report on the cryogenic characterization of Red Green Blue - High Density (RGB-HD) SiPMs developed at Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) as part of the DarkSide program of dark matter searches with liquid argon time projection chambers. A dedicated setup was used to measure the primary dark noise, the correlated noise, and the gain of the SiPMs at varying temperatures. A custom-made data acquisition system and analysis software were used to precisely characterize these parameters. We demonstrate that FBK RGB-HD SiPMs with low quenching resistance (RGB-HD-LR$_q$) can be operated from 40 K to 300 K with gains in the range $10^5$ to $10^6$ and noise rates on the order of a few Hz/mm$^2$

DarkSide-50 results and the future liquid argon dark matter program

DarkSide uses a dual-phase Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (TPC) to search for WIMP dark matter. The paper will present the latest result on the search for low mass (MWIMP < 20Gev=c2) and high mass (MWIMP > 100Gev=c2) WIMPs from the current experiment, DarkSide-50, running since mid 2015 a 50-kg-active-mass TPC, filled with argon from an underground source. The next stage of the DarkSide program will be a new generation experiment involving a global collaboration from all the current Argon based experiments. DarkSide-20k, is designed as a 20-tonne fiducial mass TPC with SiPM based photosensors, expected to be free of any background for an exposure of >100 ton x years. Like its predecessor DarkSide-20k will be housed at the Gran Sasso (LNGS) underground laboratory, and it is expected to attain a WIMPnucleon cross section exclusion sensitivity of 1047 cm2 for a WIMP mass of 1TeV=c2 in a 5 yr run. A subsequent objective, towards the end of the next decade, will be the construction of the ultimate detector, ARGO, with a 300 t fiducial mass to push the sensitivity to the neutrino floor region for high mass WIMPs. The combination of the three experiments, part of a single family, will cover completely the WIMP hypothesis from 1GeV=c2 to several hundreds of TeV=c2 masses

DarkSide-50 results and the future liquid argon dark matter program

DarkSide uses a dual-phase Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (TPC) to search for WIMP dark matter. The paper will present the latest result on the search for low mass (MW IMP < 20 Gev/c2) and high mass (MW IMP > 100 Gev/c2) WIMPs from the current experiment, DarkSide-50, running since mid 2015 a 50-kg-active-mass TPC, filled with argon from an underground source. The next stage of the DarkSide program will be a new generation experiment involving a global collaboration from all the current Argon based experiments. DarkSide-20k, is designed as a 20-tonne fiducial mass TPC with SiPM based photosensors, expected to be free of any background for an exposure of >100 ton x years. Like its predecessor DarkSide-20k will be housed at the Gran Sasso (LNGS) underground laboratory, and it is expected to attain a WIMP-nucleon cross section exclusion sensitivity of 10−47 cm2 for a WIMP mass of 1 TeV /c2 in a 5 yr run. A subsequent objective, towards the end of the next decade, will be the construction of the ultimate detector, ARGO, with a 300 t fiducial mass to push the sensitivity to the neutrino floor region for high mass WIMPs. The combination of the three experiments, part of a single family, will cover completely the WIMP hypothesis from 1 GeV /c2 to several hundreds of TeV /c2 masses

DarkSide-50 results and the future liquid argon dark matter program

DarkSide uses a dual-phase Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (TPC) to search for WIMP dark matter. The paper will present the latest result on the search for low mass (MW IMP 100 Gev/c2) WIMPs from the current experiment, DarkSide-50, running since mid 2015 a 50-kg-active-mass TPC, filled with argon from an underground source. The next stage of the DarkSide program will be a new generation experiment involving a global collaboration from all the current Argon based experiments. DarkSide-20k, is designed as a 20-tonne fiducial mass TPC with SiPM based photosensors, expected to be free of any background for an exposure of >100 ton x years. Like its predecessor DarkSide-20k will be housed at the Gran Sasso (LNGS) underground laboratory, and it is expected to attain a WIMP-nucleon cross section exclusion sensitivity of 10−47 cm2 for a WIMP mass of 1 TeV /c2 in a 5 yr run. A subsequent objective, towards the end of the next decade, will be the construction of the ultimate detector, ARGO, with a 300 t fiducial mass to push the sensitivity to the neutrino floor region for high mass WIMPs. The combination of the three experiments, part of a single family, will cover completely the WIMP hypothesis from 1 GeV /c2 to several hundreds of TeV /c2 masses

Collaborative International Research in Clinical and Longitudinal Experience Study in NMOSD

Objective To develop a resource of systematically collected, longitudinal clinical data and biospecimens for assisting in the investigation into neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment. Methods To illustrate its research-enabling purpose, epidemiologic patterns and disease phenotypes were assessed among enrolled subjects, including age at disease onset, annualized relapse rate (ARR), and time between the first and second attacks. Results As of December 2017, the Collaborative International Research in Clinical and Longitudinal Experience Study (CIRCLES) had enrolled more than 1,000 participants, of whom 77.5% of the NMOSD cases and 71.7% of the controls continue in active follow-up. Consanguineous relatives of patients with NMOSD represented 43.6% of the control cohort. Of the 599 active cases with complete data, 84% were female, and 76% were anti-AQP4 seropositive. The majority were white/Caucasian (52.6%), whereas blacks/African Americans accounted for 23.5%, Hispanics/Latinos 12.4%, and Asians accounted for 9.0%. The median age at disease onset was 38.4 years, with a median ARR of 0.5. Seropositive cases were older at disease onset, more likely to be black/African American or Hispanic/Latino, and more likely to be female. Conclusions Collectively, the CIRCLES experience to date demonstrates this study to be a useful and readily accessible resource to facilitate accelerating solutions for patients with NMOSD