First use of large area SiPM matrices coupled with NaI(Tl) scintillating crystal for low energy dark matter search

Aug 26, 2026

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The long-standing claim of dark matter detection by the DAMA experiment remains an open question in astroparticle physics. A key step toward independent verification is the development of NaI(Tl)-based detectors with improved low-energy sensitivity. The ASTAROTH R&D project replaces conventional PMTs with silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) matrices, leveraging high photon detection efficiency and cryogenic operation that yields dark noise nearly two orders lower than PMTs. The work presents first characterization of a ~360 g NaI(Tl) detector read out by a 5 cm × 5 cm SiPM matrix, reporting ~4.5 photoelectrons/keV after crosstalk correction.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Abstract

Introduction

arXiv :2507 .21612v4 [physics .ins-det] 7 Jan 2026 Eur. Phys. J. C manuscript No. (2025) 85:1444-[https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-15197-4](https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-15197-4) First use of large area SiPM matrices coupled with NaI(Tl) scintillating crystal for low energy dark matter search Edoardo Martinenghia, 1 , Valerio Toso 1,2 , Fabrizio Bruno Armani 1,2 , Andrea Castoldi 1,3 , Giuseppe Di Carlo4 , Luca Frontini 1 , Niccol Gallice 1,2,5 , Chiara Guazzoni 1,3 , Valentino Liberali 1,2 , Alberto Stabile 1,2 , Valeria Trabattoni 1,2 , Andrea Zani 1 , Davide D’Angelob, 1,2 1INFN-Sezione di Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy 2Dipartimento di Fisica, Universit degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy 3Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria (DEIB), Politecnico di Milano, piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy 4INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), via G. Acitelli 22, 67100 Assergi, Italy 5Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO 5000, Upton, NY 11973, USA Received: 30 July 2025 / Accepted: 8 December 2025 Abstract The long-standing claim of dark matter detection by the DAMA experiment remains a crucial open question in astroparticle physics. A key step towards its independent verification is the development of NaI(Tl)-based detectors with improved sensitivity at low energies. The majority of NaI(Tl)-based experiments rely on conventional photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) as single photon detectors, which present technological limitations in terms of light collection, intrinsic radioactivity and high noise contribution at keV energies. ASTAROTH is an R&D project developing a NaI(Tl)-based detector where the scintillation light is read out by silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) matrices. SiPMs exhibit high photon detection efficiency, negligible radioactivity, and, most importantly, a dark noise nearly two orders of magnitude lower than PMTs, when operated at cryogenic temperature. To this end, ASTAROTH features a custom-designed cryostat based on a bath of cryogenic fluid, able to safely operate the detector and the read-out electronics down to about 80 K. This work reports the first experimental characterization of an approximately 360 g NaI(Tl) detector read out by a large area (5 cm ×5 cm) SiPM matrix. The net photoelectron yield obtained with a preliminary configuration is approximately 4.5 photoelectrons/keV after crosstalk correction, which is rather promising in light of several planned developments. The signal-to-noise ratio and the energy threshold attainable with SiPMs is expected to improve the sensitivity for dark matter searches beyond the reach of current-generation PMT-based detectors. This result is the first proof of the viability of this technology and sets a milestone toward the design of future large-scale experiments. ae-mail: [edoardo.martinenghi@mi.infn.it](edoardo.martinenghi@mi.infn.it) be-mail: [davide.dangelo@mi.infn.it](davide.dangelo@mi.infn.it) 1 Introduction Among the open questions in modern physics, the nature of dark matter remains unknown. Astronomy offers several observations that could be explained with the introduction of dark matter: galaxy rotation curves [1], gravitational lensing [2] and the large-scale structure of the cosmos [3, 4] . The presence of a yet-undetected mass, possibly comprised of unknown particles, emerges as the most plausible explanation of such phenomena [5] . In recent years, a variety of dark matter candidates have been proposed, including weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) [6], which are currently the focus of large research efforts in the field [7] . Several experiments have sought to detect the presence of WIMPs by observing recoil energy from target nuclei. The recoil energy is expected to be of the order of a few kiloelectronvolts, and interactions are extremely rare [8] . Therefore, it is crucial to develop a detector with an ultra-low background and l

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What are the main results from the first experimental characterization?

The study characterizes an approximately 360 g NaI(Tl) detector read out by a 5 cm × 5 cm SiPM matrix, achieving a net photoelectron yield of about 4.5 photoelectrons/keV after crosstalk correction, supporting the technology’s viability.

Aug 26, 2026

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