Dark Matter/Quantum Information Science (DMQIS) Group
Detecting Dark Matter with Cryogenic Sensors
Welcome to the DMQIS Group at SLAC National Laboratory, led by PIs Noah Kurinsky and Kelly Stifter. We bridge the frontiers of dark matter physics and quantum information science through innovative detector technologies and experimental approaches.
Our Mission
Our lab brings together expertise in dark matter detection and quantum information science to develop next-generation detection technologies. We design and deploy ultra-sensitive superconducting circuits—including qubits, micro-resonators, and transition edge sensors—capable of detecting meV- to eV-scale energy depositions. Through this interdisciplinary approach, we aim to advance both the search for dark matter and our understanding of quantum systems under real-world conditions.
Research Focus
Our interdisciplinary team pursues several innovative research directions:
- Superconducting Detectors: Designing and optimizing superconducting qubits, resonators, and transition edge sensors for eV-scale energy detection
- Dark Matter Searches: Deploying our novel detectors to search for dark matter particles, with particular sensitivity to interactions in the previously challenging meV-eV energy range
- Quantum System Resilience: Investigating the effects of environmental radiation on qubit performance and coherence
- Neutrino Physics: Developing technologies to detect coherent neutrino interactions from nuclear reactors
- Cross-Disciplinary Applications: Leveraging advances in quantum information science to enhance particle detection capabilities
Explore our research sub-pages to learn more about the science behind each of these exciting research directions.
Scientific Collaborations
The DMQIS Group is actively engaged in several major scientific collaborations:
- SuperCDMS SNOLAB: Searching for dark matter using cryogenic detectors
- SPLENDOR: Searching for dark matter with meV-scale gap designer materials
- ADMX: Searching for axion dark matter through microwave cavity experiments - in particular, DMQIS researchers work on the Stanford-led prototype experiment ADMX-VERA
- BeEST: Hunting for electron-capture decay into sterile neutrinos (in conjunction with the SLAC neutrino physics group)
Research Facilities
Our work is supported by world-class experimental facilities:
- SLAC Millikelvin Facility (SMF): We help lead this critical facility housing 5 dilution refrigerators and 1 helium-3 cryostat, where we test and develop new detector technologies
- SLAC Detector Microfabrication Facility (DMF): We are involved in establishing this upcoming facility that will enable mass production of devices for our experiments
- Stanford Nanofabrication Facility (SNF) and Stanford Nano Shared Facilities (SNSF): We leverage these shared resources for device fabrication
These facilities provide the essential infrastructure for developing, testing, and deploying our innovative detector systems at the intersection of quantum information science and dark matter research.
Join Our Team
We invite collaboration with researchers across disciplines and welcome inquiries from prospective graduate students and postdoctoral researchers passionate about the intersection of quantum technologies and fundamental physics.
Whether your interests lie in superconducting circuit design, quantum information processing, dark matter detection, or experimental quantum physics, our group offers a dynamic environment where these fields converge to address fundamental questions about our universe while advancing quantum sensing capabilities.
Affiliations and Funding
Our research is made possible through generous support from the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, the Army Research Laboratory/Laboratory for Physical Sciences (ARL/LPS), and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
The DMQIS Group is proud to be affiliated with the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC), with several of our team members supported through KIPAC fellowships.