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  • Open Access

Novel Approach to Investigate ATOMKI Anomaly Using Coherent CAPTAIN-Mills Detectors

Bhaskar Dutta1,*, Bai-Shan Hu2,3,†, Wei-Chih Huang1,‡, and Richard G. Van de Water4,§

  • *Contact author: dutta@physics.tamu.edu
  • †Contact author: baishan@tamu.edu
  • ‡Contact author: s104021230@tamu.edu
  • §Contact author: vdwater@lanl.gov
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 011801 – Published 1 July, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/34pk-53tf

Abstract

ATOMKI nuclear anomaly has suggested a new BSM (beyond the standard model) boson with mass ∼17  MeV emitted from excited nuclei and quickly decays into a pair of e+e−. In order to search for the new particle, we propose a new approach that utilizes the ongoing coherent CAPTAIN-Mills (CCM) ten-ton LAr (liquid argon) detectors. The neutrons from the Lujan target can scatter inelastically, but the PMT glass in the CCM detector can produce the new boson which solves the ATOMKI anomaly. The new boson can be detected from its decay to a e+e− pair. We find that CCM probes a large area of the anomaly-allowable parameter space. We also show the prediction for a 100-ton LAr detector and five-ton EOS water detector.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 011801– Published 1 July, 2025
  • Received 8 November 2024
  • Revised 5 March 2025
  • Accepted 6 June 2025
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