The Luminescent Bolometer As a Dark Matter Detector

Abstract

Direct detection of WIMP dark matter candidates has to face many difficult challenges. In particular, it requires an extremely high level of background rejection. The only way out seems to be particle identification which, for experiments based on nucleus recoil, is most efficiently performed by simultaneously detecting ionization or light and phonons. When comparing different approaches, it is necessary to keep in mind the potential requirement of building large detectors and the difficulties that this condition may raise for some cryogenic devices. It is claimed that the luminescent bolometer (simultaneous detection of light and phonons) red by arrays of superconducting tunnel junctions, as proposed by the author some years ago, ultimately provides the most appropriate WIMP detector. Solar neutrino detection and other applications are also briefly discussed.