DESIGN OF KILOGRAM MASS SCALE TES FOR THE CRYOGENIC DARK-MATTER SEARCH

Recently there has been much interest in the direct detection of the dark matter candidates known as WIMPs. We are developing very sensitive detectors based on phonon detection with transition edge sensors on silicon substrates. These detectors will be deployed as part of the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search in collaboration with the Center for Particle Astrophysics. As we extend this technology to practical WIMP searches we will need much higher mass scale detectors. We have demonstrated detectors on 500 mum substrates. To reach the kilogram mass scales we need to pattern wafers that are an order of magnitude thicker with a detector that is at least two orders of magnitude more sensitive. Progress is reported on both these areas and a detector design is discussed.