Speaker
Description
SuperCDMS SNOLAB is a cryogenic experiment projected to achieve world-leading sensitivity for dark matter masses below 10 GeV using semiconductor crystal detectors. The experiment employs two detector types - iZIP detectors with combined phonon and charge readout, providing excellent nuclear recoil/electron recoil discrimination, and HV detectors, which amplify phonon energy proportional to an applied external electric field to achieve lower detection thresholds. Commissioning of the full twenty-four detector payload, comprising both silicon and germanium iZIP and HV detectors, began in early 2026. Stringent background control measures have been implemented during the construction and commissioning phases of the experiment, including a suite of detailed background assays of all components and detailed tracking of cosmogenic exposures of key components. We have built a background model for the energy spectra in the detectors, utilizing the screening measurements for activity estimations. A statistical framework that fully exploits the background models in both detectors with both target materials has been established to maximize the sensitivity of the experiment. This talk presents the latest updates from the experiment, highlighting the background control and modeling efforts.