First Constraint on Atmospheric Millicharged Particles with the LUX-ZEPLIN Experiment

J Aalbers^{1

2}, D S Akerib^{1

2}, A K Al Musalhi³, F Alder³, C S Amarasinghe⁴, A Ames^{1

2}, T J Anderson^{1

2}, N Angelides⁵, H M Araújo⁵, J E Armstrong⁶, M Arthurs^{1

2}, A Baker⁷, S Balashov⁸, J Bang⁹, J W Bargemann⁴, E E Barillier^{10

11}, D Bauer⁵, K Beattie¹², T Benson¹³, A Bhatti⁶, A Biekert^{12

14}, T P Biesiadzinski^{1

2}, H J Birch^{10

11}, E Bishop¹⁵, G M Blockinger¹⁶, B Boxer¹⁷, C A J Brew⁸, P Brás¹⁸, S Burdin¹⁹, M Buuck^{1

2}, M C Carmona-Benitez²⁰, M Carter¹⁹, A Chawla²¹, H Chen¹², J J Cherwinka¹³, Y T Chin²⁰, N I Chott²², M V Converse²³, R Coronel^{1

2}, A Cottle³, G Cox²⁴, D Curran²⁴, C E Dahl^{25

26}, I Darlington³, S Dave³, A David³, J Delgaudio²⁴, S Dey²⁷, L de Viveiros²⁰, L Di Felice⁵, C Ding⁹, J E Y Dobson⁷, E Druszkiewicz²³, S Dubey⁹, S R Eriksen²⁸, A Fan^{1

2}, S Fayer⁵, N M Fearon²⁷, N Fieldhouse²⁷, S Fiorucci¹², H Flaecher²⁸, E D Fraser¹⁹, T M A Fruth²⁹, R J Gaitskell⁹, A Geffre²⁴, J Genovesi^{20

22}, C Ghag³, A Ghosh¹⁶, R Gibbons^{12

14}, S Gokhale³⁰, J Green²⁷, M G D van der Grinten⁸, J J Haiston²², C R Hall⁶, T J Hall¹⁹, S Han^{1

2}, E Hartigan-O'Connor⁹, S J Haselschwardt¹⁰, M A Hernandez^{10

11}, S A Hertel³¹, G Heuermann¹⁰, G J Homenides³², M Horn²⁴, D Q Huang³³, D Hunt²⁷, E Jacquet⁵, R S James³, J Johnson¹⁷, A C Kaboth²¹, A C Kamaha³³, M Kannichankandy¹⁶, D Khaitan²³, A Khazov⁸, I Khurana³, J Kim⁴, Y D Kim³⁴, J Kingston¹⁷, R Kirk⁹, D Kodroff¹², L Korley¹⁰, E V Korolkova³⁵, H Kraus²⁷, S Kravitz³⁶, L Kreczko²⁸, V A Kudryavtsev³⁵, C Lawes⁷, D S Leonard³⁴, K T Lesko¹², C Levy¹⁶, J Lin^{12

14}, A Lindote¹⁸, W H Lippincott⁴, M I Lopes¹⁸, W Lorenzon¹⁰, C Lu⁹, S Luitz^{1

2}, P A Majewski⁸, A Manalaysay¹², R L Mannino³⁷, C Maupin²⁴, M E McCarthy²³, G McDowell¹⁰, D N McKinsey^{12

14}, J McLaughlin²⁵, J B McLaughlin³, R McMonigle¹⁶, E Mizrachi^{6

37}, A Monte⁴, M E Monzani^{1

2

38}, J D Morales Mendoza^{1

2}, E Morrison²², B J Mount³⁹, M Murdy³¹, A St J Murphy¹⁵, A Naylor³⁵, H N Nelson⁴, F Neves¹⁸, A Nguyen¹⁵, C L O'Brien³⁶, I Olcina^{12

14}, K C Oliver-Mallory⁵, J Orpwood³⁵, K Y Oyulmaz¹⁵, K J Palladino²⁷, J Palmer²¹, N J Pannifer²⁸, N Parveen¹⁶, S J Patton¹², B Penning^{10

11}, G Pereira¹⁸, E Perry³, T Pershing³⁷, A Piepke³², Y Qie²³, J Reichenbacher²², C A Rhyne⁹, A Richards⁵, Q Riffard¹², G R C Rischbieter^{10

11}, E Ritchey⁶, H S Riyat¹⁵, R Rosero³⁰, T Rushton³⁵, D Rynders²⁴, D Santone²¹, A B M R Sazzad³², R W Schnee²², G Sehr³⁶, B Shafer⁶, S Shaw¹⁵, T Shutt^{1

2}, J J Silk⁶, C Silva¹⁸, G Sinev²², J Siniscalco³, R Smith^{12

14}, V N Solovov¹⁸, P Sorensen¹², J Soria^{12

14}, I Stancu³², A Stevens^{3

5}, K Stifter²⁶, B Suerfu^{12

14}, T J Sumner⁵, M Szydagis¹⁶, D R Tiedt²⁴, M Timalsina¹², Z Tong⁵, D R Tovey³⁵, J Tranter³⁵, M Trask⁴, M Tripathi¹⁷, A Usón¹⁵, A Vacheret⁵, A C Vaitkus⁹, O Valentino⁵, V Velan¹², A Wang^{1

2}, J J Wang³², Y Wang^{12

14}, J R Watson^{12

14}, L Weeldreyer³², T J Whitis⁴, K Wild²⁰, M Williams¹⁰, W J Wisniewski¹, L Wolf²¹, F L H Wolfs²³, S Woodford¹⁹, D Woodward^{12

20}, C J Wright²⁸, Q Xia¹², J Xu³⁷, Y Xu³³, M Yeh³⁰, D Yeum⁶, W Zha²⁰, H Zhang¹⁵, E A Zweig³³; LZ Collaboration

Affiliations

¹ SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025-7015, USA.
² Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-4085, USA.
³ University College London (UCL), Department of Physics and Astronomy, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
⁴ University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Physics, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9530, USA.
⁵ Imperial College London, Physics Department, Blackett Laboratory, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.
⁶ University of Maryland, Department of Physics, College Park, Maryland 20742-4111, USA.
⁷ King's College London, Department of Physics, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom.
⁸ STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom.
⁹ Brown University, Department of Physics, Providence, Rhode Island 02912-9037, USA.
¹⁰ University of Michigan, Randall Laboratory of Physics, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1040, USA.
¹¹ University of Zürich, Department of Physics, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
¹² Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, California 94720-8099, USA.
¹³ University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Physics, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1390, USA.
¹⁴ University of California, Berkeley, Department of Physics, Berkeley, California 94720-7300, USA.
¹⁵ University of Edinburgh, SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, United Kingdom.
¹⁶ University at Albany (SUNY), Department of Physics, Albany, New York 12222-0100, USA.
¹⁷ University of California, Davis, Department of Physics, Davis, California 95616-5270, USA.
¹⁸ Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas (LIP), University of Coimbra, P-3004 516 Coimbra, Portugal.
¹⁹ University of Liverpool, Department of Physics, Liverpool L69 7ZE, United Kingdom.
²⁰ Pennsylvania State University, Department of Physics, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802-6300, USA.
²¹ Royal Holloway, University of London, Department of Physics, Egham TW20 0EX, United Kingdom.
²² South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701-3901, USA.
²³ University of Rochester, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rochester, New York 14627-0171, USA.
²⁴ South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA), Sanford Underground Research Facility, Lead, South Dakota 57754-1700, USA.
²⁵ Northwestern University, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3112, USA.
²⁶ Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510-5011, USA.
²⁷ University of Oxford, Department of Physics, Oxford OX1 3RH, United Kingdom.
²⁸ University of Bristol, H.H. Wills Physics Laboratory, Bristol BS8 1TL, United Kingdom.
²⁹ The University of Sydney, School of Physics, Physics Road, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
³⁰ Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973-5000, USA.
³¹ University of Massachusetts, Department of Physics, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003-9337, USA.
³² University of Alabama, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 34587-0324, USA.
³³ University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Los Angeles, California 90095-1547, USA.
³⁴ IBS Center for Underground Physics (CUP), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea.
³⁵ University of Sheffield, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom.
³⁶ University of Texas at Austin, Department of Physics, Austin, Texas 78712-1192, USA.
³⁷ Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, California 94550-9698, USA.
³⁸ Vatican Observatory, Castel Gandolfo, V-00120, Vatican City State.
³⁹ Black Hills State University, School of Natural Sciences, Spearfish, South Dakota 57799-0002, USA.

PMID: 40742927
DOI: 10.1103/zhs9-65ds

First Constraint on Atmospheric Millicharged Particles with the LUX-ZEPLIN Experiment

J Aalbers et al. Phys Rev Lett. 2025.

. 2025 Jun 20;134(24):241802.

doi: 10.1103/zhs9-65ds.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025-7015, USA.
² Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-4085, USA.
³ University College London (UCL), Department of Physics and Astronomy, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
⁴ University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Physics, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9530, USA.
⁵ Imperial College London, Physics Department, Blackett Laboratory, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.
⁶ University of Maryland, Department of Physics, College Park, Maryland 20742-4111, USA.
⁷ King's College London, Department of Physics, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom.
⁸ STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom.
⁹ Brown University, Department of Physics, Providence, Rhode Island 02912-9037, USA.
¹⁰ University of Michigan, Randall Laboratory of Physics, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1040, USA.
¹¹ University of Zürich, Department of Physics, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
¹² Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, California 94720-8099, USA.
¹³ University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Physics, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1390, USA.
¹⁴ University of California, Berkeley, Department of Physics, Berkeley, California 94720-7300, USA.
¹⁵ University of Edinburgh, SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, United Kingdom.
¹⁶ University at Albany (SUNY), Department of Physics, Albany, New York 12222-0100, USA.
¹⁷ University of California, Davis, Department of Physics, Davis, California 95616-5270, USA.
¹⁸ Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas (LIP), University of Coimbra, P-3004 516 Coimbra, Portugal.
¹⁹ University of Liverpool, Department of Physics, Liverpool L69 7ZE, United Kingdom.
²⁰ Pennsylvania State University, Department of Physics, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802-6300, USA.
²¹ Royal Holloway, University of London, Department of Physics, Egham TW20 0EX, United Kingdom.
²² South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701-3901, USA.
²³ University of Rochester, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rochester, New York 14627-0171, USA.
²⁴ South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA), Sanford Underground Research Facility, Lead, South Dakota 57754-1700, USA.
²⁵ Northwestern University, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3112, USA.
²⁶ Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, Illinois 60510-5011, USA.
²⁷ University of Oxford, Department of Physics, Oxford OX1 3RH, United Kingdom.
²⁸ University of Bristol, H.H. Wills Physics Laboratory, Bristol BS8 1TL, United Kingdom.
²⁹ The University of Sydney, School of Physics, Physics Road, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
³⁰ Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, New York 11973-5000, USA.
³¹ University of Massachusetts, Department of Physics, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003-9337, USA.
³² University of Alabama, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 34587-0324, USA.
³³ University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Los Angeles, California 90095-1547, USA.
³⁴ IBS Center for Underground Physics (CUP), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea.
³⁵ University of Sheffield, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom.
³⁶ University of Texas at Austin, Department of Physics, Austin, Texas 78712-1192, USA.
³⁷ Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, California 94550-9698, USA.
³⁸ Vatican Observatory, Castel Gandolfo, V-00120, Vatican City State.
³⁹ Black Hills State University, School of Natural Sciences, Spearfish, South Dakota 57799-0002, USA.

PMID: 40742927
DOI: 10.1103/zhs9-65ds

Abstract

We report on a search for millicharged particles (mCPs) produced in cosmic ray atmospheric interactions using data collected during the first science run of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment. The mCPs produced by two processes-meson decay and proton bremsstrahlung-are considered in this study. This search utilized a novel signature unique to liquid xenon (LXe) time projection chambers, allowing sensitivity to mCPs with masses ranging from 10 to 1000 MeV/c^{2} and fractional charges between 0.001 and 0.02 of the electron charge (e). With an exposure of 60 live days and a 5.5 metric ton fiducial mass, we observed no significant excess over background. This represents the first experimental search for atmospheric mCPs and the first search for mCPs using an underground LXe experiment.

PubMed Disclaimer

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

First Constraint on Atmospheric Millicharged Particles with the LUX-ZEPLIN Experiment

Affiliations

First Constraint on Atmospheric Millicharged Particles with the LUX-ZEPLIN Experiment

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract