ASTAROTH - a novel detector for dark matter direct detection using cryogenic SiPMs - Abstract and first characterization

Aug 26, 2026

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The DAMA experiment’s long-standing claim of dark matter detection remains an open issue in astroparticle physics, motivating independent verification with NaI(Tl)-based detectors that achieve enhanced low-energy sensitivity. Conventional NaI(Tl) setups rely on photomultiplier tubes, limited by detection efficiency, intrinsic radioactivity, and high noise at few-keV energies. ASTAROTH is an R&D proof-of-concept using cryogenic SiPM readout and a custom ~80 K cryostat.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Dark matter problem and DAMA context

Detector requirements and low-background thresholds

PMT limitations and SiPM advantages

Experimental setup

Cryostat

NaI(Tl) crystal

SiPM and electronics

Experimental results

System calibration

Scintillation light detection

Summary and outlook

Published by IOP Publishing for Sissa Medialab Received: October 29, 2025 Accepted: November 28, 2025 Published: December 17, 2025 17th Topical Seminar on Innovative Particle and Radiation Detectors Siena, Italy 15–19 September 2025 ASTAROTH: a novel detector for dark matter direct detection using cryogenic SiPMs E. Martinenghi ,􀀰, ∗ V. Toso ,􀀰,􀀱 F. B. Armani, 􀀰,􀀱 A. Castoldi,􀀰,􀀲 G. Di Carlo, 􀀳 L. Frontini ,􀀰 N. Gallice ,􀀰,􀀱,􀀴 C. Guazzoni ,􀀰,􀀲 V. Liberali ,􀀰,􀀱 L. Rutigliani,􀀱 A. Stabile ,􀀰,􀀱 K. Szczepaniec ,􀀳 V. Trabattoni ,􀀰,􀀱 A. Zani 􀀰 and D. D’Angelo 􀀰,􀀱 􀀰 INFN-Sezione di Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy 􀀱 Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy 􀀲 Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria (DEIB), Politecnico di Milano, piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy 􀀳 INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), via G. Acitelli 22, 67100 Assergi, Italy 􀀴 Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO 5000, Upton, NY 11973, U.S.A. E-mail: [edoardo.martinenghi@mi.infn.it](edoardo.martinenghi@mi.infn.it) Abstract: The DAMA experiment’s long-standing claim of dark matter detection remains a key open issue in astroparticle physics. Independent verification requires NaI(Tl)-based detectors with enhanced low-energy sensitivity. Current detectors rely on photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) which features limited detection efficiency, intrinsic radioactivity, and high noise at few-keV energies. ASTAROTH is an R&D project that developed a proof of concept NaI(Tl) detector where silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) have been used instead of PMTs, offering higher photon detection efficiency, negligible radioactivity, and, most of all, a reduction of two orders of magnitude in the dark noise. The setup includes a custom cryostat operating at approximately 80 K. We report the first characterization of an approximately 360 g NaI(Tl) crystal coupled to a 5 × 5 cm2 SiPM matrix, yielding 4 .5 photoelectrons/keV after crosstalk correction. This promising result demonstrates the feasibility of SiPM-based readout for NaI(Tl) and paves the way for future large-scale dark matter experiments. Keywords: Dark Matter detectors (WIMPs, axions, etc.); Scintillators, scintillation and light emission processes (solid, gas and liquid scintillators) 2025 JIN ST 20 C12019 ArXiv ePrint: 2510.24418 ∗ Corresponding author. © 2025 The Author(s) . Published by IOP Publishing Ltd on behalf of Sissa Medialab. Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. [https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/20/12/C12019](https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/20/12/C12019) Contents 1 Introduction 1 2 Experimental setup 2 2.1 Cryostat 2 2.2 NaI(Tl) crystal 3 2.3 SiPM and electronics 4 3 Experimental results 4 3.1 System calibration 4 3.2 Scintillation light detection 5 4 Summary and outlook 6 1 Introduction The nature of dark matter remains one of the open questions in modern physics. A number of astronomical observations [1–3] can be explained by the introduction of dark matter [4], and several candidates have been proposed. A major scientific effort focuses on the detection of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) [5], with numerous experiments aiming to observe their recoil energy from interactions with target nuclei. The expected recoil energy is of the order of a few-keV and occurs at very low event rates [6] . Therefore, the design of detectors with extremely low background and low detection thresholds is essential, representing one of the main challenges in direct detection experiments. To date, the only positive result indicating a possible dark matter interaction has been reported by the DAMA experiment [7, 8], which observed an annual mo

FAQs

Why is independent verification important for the DAMA dark matter claim?

DAMA’s observed annual modulation remains controversial, and independent confirmation requires NaI(Tl)-based detectors with improved low-energy sensitivity to test the effect under comparable conditions.

What limitations do photomultiplier tubes have in NaI(Tl) dark matter detectors?

PMTs show reduced photon detection efficiency at the NaI(Tl) emission wavelength and exhibit high intrinsic noise, which raises background and restricts achievable signal-to-noise at low energies.

What is the key technological difference in ASTAROTH?

ASTAROTH replaces PMTs with cryogenically operated silicon photomultipliers, targeting higher photon detection efficiency and a dark-noise reduction of about two orders of magnitude when cooled to around 80 K.

What was achieved in ASTAROTH’s first prototype characterization?

The first characterization reports an ~360 g NaI(Tl) crystal coupled to a 5 × 5 cm2 SiPM matrix, producing 4.5 photoelectrons/keV after crosstalk correction, demonstrating feasibility for future large-scale experiments.

Aug 26, 2026

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