First results on sub-GeV spin-dependent dark matter interactions with $$^{7}$$7Li

In this work, we want to highlight the potential of lithium as a target for spin-dependent dark matter search in cryogenic experiments, with a special focus on the low-mass region of the parameter space. We operated a prototype detector module based on a \(\hbox {Li}_2\hbox {MoO}_4\) target crystal in an above-ground laboratory. Despite the high background environment, the detector sets a competitive limit on spin-dependent interactions of dark matter particles with protons and neutrons for masses between \(0.8~\hbox {GeV/c}^2\) and \(1.5~\hbox {GeV/c}^2\).