NIST researchers are developing a new type of sensor that could help uncover mysteries of the universe beyond the Standard Model. The Standard Model successfully explains many particles and forces, but fails to account for dark matter and dark energy. NIST is adapting superconducting photon detectors into charged particle sensors, potentially creating large arrays to detect faint signals of new physics.
The prototype sensor focuses on neutron decay, a simple process where a neutron turns into an electron, proton, and antineutrino. NIST’s TKID detector could detect signals 100 times weaker than current neutron decay detectors. The research, funded by the Department of Energy, was presented at the American Physical Society meeting.
Keywords: neutrino, particle, quantum
