Karlsruhe 2011 – scientific programme

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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 110: Experimentelle Techniken der Astroteilchenphysik II

T 110.2: Talk

Tuesday, March 29, 2011, 17:05–17:20, 30.95: 001

Optimization of CRESST-II Detectors — •Michael Kiefer — Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, München, Deutschland

The CRESST-II experiment uses scintillating calorimeters for the direct detection of WIMP Dark Matter. Its detector modules have two readout channels: The phonon channel measures the energy of the particles while the discrimination between different types of particles relies on the accurate measurement of the scintillation light.

In my PhD thesis, I discuss means of improving the light channel in two ways: firstly by increasing the scintillation efficiency and secondly by improving the detection efficiency.

The scintillation efficiency can be increased by fabricating the detectors as composites, avoiding a high-temperature treatment of the scintillator crystals. In addition, composite detectors are easier to produce in big numbers. Dedicated measurements as well as the calibration data of the Dark Matter experiment itself yield quantitative information on the scintillation and detection efficiency of the CRESST detector modules.