Novel approaches in low energy threshold detectors for Dark Matter searches

Abstract Low energy threshold detectors are necessary in many frontier fields of the experimental physics. In particular these are extremely important for probing Dark Matter (DM) possible candidates. We present a novel detection approach that exploits the energy levels of atoms embedded into solid crystals of inert gases maintained at low temperature. We exploit laser-assisted transitions that are triggered by the absorption of the incident particle in the material and leads to a photon or an electron emission. Two possible schemes are thus possible: one is based on light signal while the other takes advantage of high efficiency-in vacuum single-electron detection using microchannel plate or channeltron sensors. Through these schemes, we could be able to detect low energy release in the range from sub eV to tens of eV in large volume crystals opening thus the possibility to investigate light DM candidates.