Background studies for the EDELWEISS dark matter experiment

Understand

The EDELWEISS-II collaboration has completed a direct search for WIMP dark matter using cryogenic Ge detectors (400 g each) and 384 kg$\times$days of effective exposure.

• A cross-section of $4.4 \times 10^{-8}$ pb is excluded at 90% C.L.
• for a WIMP mass of 85 GeV.
• The next phase, EDELWEISS-III, aims to probe spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross-sections down to a few $\times10^{-9}$ pb.