Status and low background considerations for the CRESST dark matter search

Abstract We are preparing the CRESST experiment to search for dark matter WIMPs using cryogenic detectors with superconducting phase transition thermometers. In the first stage we plan to use four 250 g sapphire detectors with thresholds of 0.5 keV and resolutions of 0.2 keV at 1 keV. This will provide sensitivity to WIMP masses below 10 GeV, and is thus complementary to other dark matter searches.