Study of the response of a large volume TPC prototype for the CYGNO experiment at LNGS

Abstract

Astrophysical and cosmological evidence strongly supports the existence of Dark Matter (DM), yet no candidate particle is predicted by the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics. Among the most studied and hypotheses are Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMPs), which could account for the observed relic DM density through weak interactions in the early Universe. Direct detection experiments aim to observe low-energy nuclear recoils induced by DM interactions, requiring detectors with very low background levels and high sensitivity. The CYGNO project develops large gaseous Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) for directional DM searches. Using a helium- and fluorine-rich gas mixture, a triple GEM amplification system and optical readout via PMTs and scientific CMOS cameras, CYGNO enables 3D track reconstruction and sensitivity to both Spin-Independent and Spin-Dependent interactions. Several prototypes have been built, culminating in the Long Imaging ModulE (LIME), a 50 L active volume TPC. Installed underground at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in 2022. LIME represents a milestone toward a full-scale directional DM detector. This thesis reports on the calibration and stability studies of LIME, presenting methods to control environmental effects on detector performance, a novel data equalisation technique and first sensitivity studies for DM detection. The results contribute to validating CYGNO's approach and advancing the roadmap toward large-scale directional Dark Matter searches.