Light Dark Matter Detection: Leveraging the Material Response to Find New Targets

by Rotem Ovadia (Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

Thursday Nov 12, 2026, 12:00 PM → 2:00 PM Europe/Madrid

C7b/058 - Seminar (IFAE Main Building C7b)

 

The search for sub-MeV dark matter requires understanding how detectors respond to small energy and momentum deposits, where many-body effects play an essential role. I will present a method for calculating dark matter scattering rates through measurable material response functions, extending the dielectric formalism for spin-independent dark matter–electron scattering to include spin-dependent interactions [1]. A high-throughput evaluation of nearly one thousand candidate materials demonstrates the utility of this response-based approach for systematic target discovery [2]. A complementary interdisciplinary effort identifies promising targets with strong low-energy collective excitations [3]. If time permits, I will also preview preliminary work on the implications of detector geometry for direct detection experiments.

Based on:
[1] Y. Hochberg, M. Khalaf, A. Lenoci, and R. Ovadia, “Determining (All) Dark Matter–Electron Scattering Rates From Material Properties”, arXiv:2510.25835.
[2] S. M. Griffin et al., “First High-Throughput Evaluation of Dark Matter Detector Materials”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 191801 (2026).
[3] Y. Hochberg, D. Novko, R. Ovadia, and A. Politano, “Unconventional Materials for Light Dark Matter Detection”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 101802 (2026).