Physics & Astronomy ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 7-28-2026

Abstract

Measuring topology and initial direction of low-energy (keV-MeV) particle tracks is interesting to rare-event searches. While directional dark matter searches have been one of the largest drivers for R&D for low-energy directional detectors, this work is interested in its application to Migdal searches. The Migdal effect—a nuclear recoil and an electron recoil sharing a vertex—has been used as a detection channel for low-mass dark matter but has only recently been measured. Low-energy directional detectors are ideal to measure the canonic Migdal topology. This dissertation discusses 3D reconstruction algorithms developed for the Migdal In Galactic Dark mAtter expLoration (MIGDAL) experiment and the future possibility of testing theoretical predictions of the Migdal electron angular distribution. In tandem, I discuss measurements of drift properties in negative ion gas mixtures with CS2 or SF6, maximizing the Xe, Ar, He, and CF4 component for use in future directional detectors with lower diffusion.

Degree Name

Physics

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Physics & Astronomy

First Committee Member (Chair)

Dinesh Loomba

Second Committee Member

Rouzbeh Allahverdi

Third Committee Member

Steven Elliott

Fourth Committee Member

Ralph Masserczyk

Project Sponsors

This work has been supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Offce of Science, Offce of High Energy Physics, under Award Number DE-SC0022357; by the U.S. National Science Foun-dation under Award number 2209307; ET acknowledges the Graduate Instrumentation Research Award funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Offce of Science, Offce of High Energy Physics. I am grateful to the Particle Physics Department at RAL for signifcant additional support which made this project possible. I would also like to thank the ISIS facility for technical assistance and for hosting this experiment. I thank Master’s student M. Handley (Cambridge). I would especially like to thank the Migdal In Galactic Dark mAtter expLoration (MIGDAL) collaboration for allowing me to contribute to this experiment.

Language

English

Keywords

Directional Detectors, Negative Ion Drift, Migdal Effect, Track Reconstruction, Instrumentation, Rare Event Searches

Document Type

Dissertation

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