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Axionlike particle search with a hybrid Cherenkov-scintillation detector

A. A. Aguilar-Arevalo8, S. Biedron12, J. Boissevain1, M. Borrego6, L. Bugel7,†, M. Chavez-Estrada8, J. M. Conrad7, R. L. Cooper6,10, J. R. Distel6 et al. (CCM Collaboration)

J. R. Distel6, J. C. D’Olivo8, E. Dunton6, B. Dutta11, D. E. Fields9, M. Gold9, E. Guardincerri6, E. C. Huang6, N. Kamp7, D. Kim13, K. Knickerbocker6, W. C. Louis6, C. F. Macias-Acevedo8, R. Mahapatra11, J. Mezzetti5, J. Mirabal6, M. J. Mocko6, D. A. Newmark7,*, P. deNiverville6, C. O’Connor5, V. Pandey14, D. Poulson6, H. Ray5, E. Renner6, T. J. Schaub9, A. Schneider11, M. H. Shaevitz2, D. Smith4, W. Sondheim6, A. M. Szelc3, C. Taylor6, A. Thompson15, W. H. Thompson6, R. T. Thornton6, M. Tripathi5, R. Van Berg1, R. G. Van de Water6, and J. Zettlemoyer6 (CCM Collaboration)

  • *Contact author: dnewmark@mit.edu
  • †Deceased
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Phys. Rev. D 114, 072008 – Published 27 October, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/ztsv-s7ts

Abstract

This analysis presents the first proof-of-concept search for axionlike particles using a hybrid Cherenkov-scintillation detector at a beam-dump facility. The work is based on the Coherent CAPTAIN-Mills (CCM) experiment, a 10-ton liquid argon light collection detector located at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The CCM200 detector is instrumented with 200 photomultiplier tubes, providing approximately 50% photocathode coverage. To enable optical discrimination, 80% of the photomultiplier tubes are coated with a wavelength-shifting material while the remaining 20% are left uncoated. This configuration, combined with nanosecond-scale timing resolution, provides sensitivity to prompt Cherenkov radiation while maintaining efficient detection of liquid argon scintillation light [Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 171804 (2025); [Phys. Rev. D 112, 072010 (2025)]. This analysis constructs four observables that exploit the Cherenkov emission and event topology expected from axionlike-particle-induced electromagnetic interactions. These observables are combined into a likelihood-ratio classifier that provides powerful rejection of steady-state backgrounds. No statistically significant excess above the expected background prediction is observed for 10−3  MeV<ma<10  MeV. Nevertheless, the improved background rejection enabled by hybrid Cherenkov-scintillation detection allows this analysis to surpass the sensitivity of the previous CCM120 search [Phys. Rev. D 107, 095036 (2023)] despite less exposure and demonstrate the physics potential for hybrid Cherenkov-scintillation detectors.

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Phys. Rev. D 114, 072008– Published 27 October, 2026
  • Received 17 August 2026
  • Accepted 8 October 2026
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