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Dark sector searches with high-intensity positron beams in the CERN North Area

F. Arias-Aragón1, L. Darmé2, R. Gargiulo3,4, G. Grilli di Cortona5, V. Kozhuharov1,6, E. Nardi1,7, M. Raggi3,4,8,*, T. Spadaro1, and P. Valente4

  • *Contact author: mauro.raggi@cern.ch
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Phys. Rev. D 113, 032014 – Published 23 February, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/l696-xytn

Abstract

Dark sector models present a rich phenomenology that requires high-intensity beams and precision detectors for thorough exploration. The NA62 experiment has already published several constraints on dark sector models, leveraging proton beam dump and meson decay techniques. This proposal aims to demonstrate the NA62 detector discovery potential for dark sector candidates by using the positron-on-target technique. High-intensity secondary positron beams, reaching up to ∼150  GeV energy, have already been produced at the North Area extracted beam lines. If a positron beam with an intensity in the range of 2×1014 positrons on target per year is delivered, the NA62 detector would be ideal for searches of dark sector particles in both visible and invisible decay channels. Additionally, positron on target collisions would enable precision measurements of key standard model observables, including a detailed scan of σ(e+e−→π+π−) and σ(e+e−→μ+μ−) at the di-pion and di-muon production threshold, with discovery potential for the True Muonium (μ+μ−) bound state.

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Phys. Rev. D 113, 032014– Published 23 February, 2026
  • Received 17 August 2025
  • Accepted 13 January 2026
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI. Funded by SCOAP3.

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