Proposal to the Gran Sasso laboratory for a second phase of the CRESST Dark Matter search

We present a proposal for a second phase of the CRESST dark matter search. We propose to install a detector with a total mass of about 10 kg using the simultaneous measurement of scintillation light and phonons. This new type of detector, based on CaWO_4 crystals with a mass of 300 g, will allow an efficient discrimination of radioactive backgrounds and will be especially sensitive to medium and high mass WIMPs. To reach 10 kg of detector mass we intend to upgrade the present CRESST setup to 66 readout channels. We also plan to install a neutron shield for passive suppression of that background which cannot be easily separated by the light/phonon method. These new detectors should allow a test of the positive evidence for a WIMP signal reported by the DAMA collaboration within a short running period on the order of a month. In the long term the experiment will compete favorably with other large volume dark matter searches and will explore neutralino dark matter over a substantial fraction of the SUSY parameter space. In contrast to other projects, CRESST technology allows the employment of a variety of detection materials. This offers a powerful tool in establishing a WIMP signal and in investigating WIMP properties in the event of a positive signal. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RA 2316(2000-04) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman