Review of Direct Searches for Dark Matter and the Role of Inorganic Scintillators

This review covers direct searches for dark matter, and the role inorganic scintillators have to play in them. Particle dark matter may make up most of the matter in the universe. Direct searches for dark matter are progressing thanks to improvements in detector technology. The phase space predicted by various theories is vast. Noble-element based detectors, soon weighing one ton, seem best-placed to search for relatively heavy ( >~20 GeV) particles, and have already probed dark matter-nucleon cross sections as small as 7 ×10 -46 cm 2 . A variety of other technologies, including cryogenic detectors, gaseous ones and CCDs, will cover lower masses (down to 1 GeV or less), where recent hints for a discovery have been seriously undermined. Background rejection is essential in this field. Inorganic scintillators have roles to play at cryogenic temperatures, where the scintillation signal can be coupled to a measurement of phonons, providing particle identification. Future experiments with highly radiopure and high light yield NaI(Tl) can contribute to direct investigation of the longstanding detection claim from DAMA/LIBRA.