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Experimental Particle and Astro-Particle Physics Seminar
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Europe/Zurich
Description
Abstract: Neutrinos remain one of the most fascinating and enigmatic particles in particle physics and cosmology. While significant progress has been made in understanding their properties, many fundamental questions persist, demanding further experimental exploration. Among these, the measurement of Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering (CENNS) has long been a pivotal challenge in neutrino physics—predicted nearly 40 years ago and now a rapidly expanding field following its recent and repeated detections.
The Ricochet experiment is at the forefront of this endeavor, aiming to probe new physics in the electroweak sector by delivering the first low-energy, high-precision measurement of CENNS down to the O(100) eV scale—a regime where new physics signatures could emerge. After five years of meticulous design, preparation, and intensive detector R&D to develop a new generation of cryogenic detectors with advanced particle identification capabilities, Ricochet entered its construction phase at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) in early 2024. The experiment subsequently began its first scientific phase in July 2025.
In this talk, I will provide a comprehensive overview of the current status of the Ricochet experiment, including its detector performance, initial background characterizations, and upcoming scientific results. Finally, I will discuss the future prospects of Ricochet, including its proposed second scientific phase, which promises to significantly expand its discovery potential.