Phase-I: CYGNO, one cubic meter demonstrator
The aim of the CYGNO project is to prove the capability of a high resolution gaseous TPC with sCMOS (scientific CMOS) optical readout for near future directional Dark Matter searches at low 1-10 GeV WIMP masses down to and beyond the Neutrino Floor. CYGNO consists of one cubic meter demonstrator to be installed at LNGS aiming to show the following performances and capabilities:
- O(keV) energy threshold on nuclear recoil tracks
- 3D tracking reconstruction with head-tail determination
- 3D detector fiducialization
- Electron rejection power of 10^5
- Complete background rejection thank to the very good particles detection and identification
- Operate light target, such as He based gas mixture
- High sensitivity in the 1-10 GeV WIMP mass region.
When achieved this results (PHASE-1), the plan are to move to PHASE-2 for the construction of a 30-100 $m^3$ detector with a competitive sensitivity for the DM research and to reach the neutrino floor.
Up to now, the PHASE-0 of the CYGNO project has been funded by National Institute of Nuclear Physics (CSN2), in order to produce a Technical Design Report by the end of 2019, and is supported by many international researchers and institution. In the mean time, the study of innovative and application of technique based on Negative Ion drift, and minority carrier are under study thanks to the support of the a recent grant, INITIUM, from European Community.