Abstract:

Germanium detectors operated at temperatures of about 50 mK have found applications in the direct dark matter searches, in experiments such as the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) or Edelweiss. Over the past decade, these detectors have played a critical role in improving the sensitivity of direct dark matter searches - I will summarize some of the most recent results of the searches performed by the CDMS II experiment. Moreover, recent detector design modifications have led to a substantial improvement in the efficiency with which the germanium detectors can identify and reject electromagnetic backgrounds. Further studies are being conducted to increase the size of individual detectors, thereby simplifying their design and reducing their cost. I will discuss these technology advances and their implications for the upcoming SuperCDMS experiments.