{"id":725,"date":"2026-07-13T15:54:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T13:54:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/?page_id=725"},"modified":"2026-07-13T16:00:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T14:00:39","slug":"rd","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/rd\/","title":{"rendered":"R&amp;D"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"wp-block-group alignfull cygno-section has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-54d22900 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"cygno-section-eyebrow wp-block-paragraph\">R&amp;D<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading cygno-section-title\">CYGNO is not only dark matter.<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"cygno-lede wp-block-paragraph\">Directional rare-event searches drive the program, but the same optical TPC technology opens research paths where low-energy tracks, topology, and light readout carry the physics information.<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide cygno-rd-feature cygno-media-layout cygno-media-layout--balanced is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"cygno-rd-feature-media cygno-media-layout__media cygno-media-figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"795\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-content\/themes\/cygno-theme\/assets\/images\/detectors\/tpc-sketch.webp\" alt=\"Engineering sketch of a CYGNO optical TPC detector\"\/><\/figure>\n\t\t<div class=\"cygno-rd-feature-copy cygno-media-layout__content\">\n\t\t\t<h3>Detector R&amp;D becomes analysis capability.<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<p>CYGNO studies gas mixtures, GEM amplification, optical transport, sensor response, calibration strategies, and underground operation as one coupled detector system.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>Large optical-image data streams are analyzed with modern reconstruction, artificial intelligence, and machine-learning techniques for event selection, background rejection, monitoring, and physics interpretation.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide cygno-app-grid is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-group cygno-application-card has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a8461612e98e&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a8461612e98e\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large cygno-card-visual cygno-card-visual-contain cygno-media-figure wp-lightbox-container\"><img data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"576\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"832\" src=\"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-content\/themes\/cygno-theme\/assets\/images\/tracks\/limits-with-fog.webp\" alt=\"Directional dark matter sensitivity reach near the neutrino fog\"\/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Directional dark matter<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The core CYGNO program: low-threshold optical TPCs designed to reconstruct the direction of rare nuclear recoils.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-group cygno-application-card has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a8461612ed34&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a8461612ed34\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large cygno-card-visual wp-lightbox-container\"><img data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"900\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"669\" src=\"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-content\/themes\/cygno-theme\/assets\/images\/applications\/superK-tank.webp\" alt=\"Model of the Super-Kamiokande detector tank as a reference for neutrino physics\"\/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Neutrino physics<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Directional solar-neutrino studies and CEvNS concepts use light targets and recoil reconstruction to probe weak interactions.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-group cygno-application-card has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a8461612f06f&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a8461612f06f\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large cygno-card-visual cygno-card-visual-contain cygno-media-figure wp-lightbox-container\"><img data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"547\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"586\" src=\"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-content\/themes\/cygno-theme\/assets\/images\/applications\/polarimetry-schetck.webp\" alt=\"Schematic of photoelectron-track reconstruction for X-ray polarimetry\"\/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">X-ray polarimetry<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Optical readout can image short electron tracks, a capability that connects naturally to photoelectric polarimetry in the hard X-ray band.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-group cygno-application-card has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a8461612f374&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a8461612f374\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large cygno-card-visual wp-lightbox-container\"><img data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"900\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"677\" src=\"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-content\/themes\/cygno-theme\/assets\/images\/applications\/detector-proto-understest.webp\" alt=\"Prototype detector under test with radioactive-source calibration hardware\"\/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rare-event detector R&amp;D<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prototype tests, calibration campaigns, underground operations, and scalable readout turn the optical TPC concept into a robust rare-event instrument.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n<\/section>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-725","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/725","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=725"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/725\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":737,"href":"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/725\/revisions\/737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/cygnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=725"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}