Departmental Colloquium

COUPP, a CF3I bubble chamber dedicated to WIMP searches

Juan Collar
Department of Physics and Enrico Fermi Institute, University of Chicago

Time
Wed. May 18, 2005     3:30 PM     Stirling D

Abstract

The viability of using a Bubble Chamber for rare event searches and in particular for the detection of dark matter particle candidates is considered. Techniques leading to the deactivation of inhomogeneous nucleation centers and subsequent enhanced stability in such a detector will be described. Results from prototype trials indicate that sensitivity to low-energy nuclear recoils like those expected from Weakly Interacting Massive Particles can be obtained in conditions of near total insensitivity to minimum ionizing backgrounds. I will comment on the prospects for the detection of supersymmetric dark matter particles with a 2 kg $CF_{3}I$ chamber (COUPP, the Chicagoland Observatory for Underground Physics). The chamber is presently undergoing installation at the 300 m.w.e. depth of the Minos-near gallery on FNAL grounds.

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