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Limits on WIMP Dark Matter with NaI(Tl) Crystals in Three Years of COSINE-100 Data

G. H. Yu1,2,*, N. Carlin3, J. Y. Cho2,4, J. J. Choi5,2, S. Choi5, A. C. Ezeribe6, L. E. França3, C. Ha7, I. S. Hahn8,9,10 et al. (COSINE-100 Collaboration)

I. S. Hahn8,9,10, S. J. Hollick11, E. J. Jeon2,10,†, H. W. Joo5, W. G. Kang2, M. Kauer12, B. H. Kim2, H. J. Kim4, J. Kim7, K. W. Kim2, S. H. Kim2, S. K. Kim5, W. K. Kim10,2, Y. D. Kim2,10, Y. H. Kim2,10, Y. J. Ko2, D. H. Lee4, E. K. Lee2, H. Lee10,2, H. S. Lee2,10, H. Y. Lee8, I. S. Lee2, J. Lee2, J. Y. Lee4, M. H. Lee2,10, S. H. Lee10,2, S. M. Lee5, Y. J. Lee7, D. S. Leonard2, N. T. Luan4, V. H. A. Machado3, B. B. Manzato3, R. H. Maruyama11, R. J. Neal6, S. L. Olsen2, B. J. Park10,2, H. K. Park13, H. S. Park14, J. C. Park15, K. S. Park2, S. D. Park4, R. L. C. Pitta3, H. Prihtiadi16, S. J. Ra2, C. Rott1,17, K. A. Shin2, D. F. F. S. Cavalcante3, M. K. Son15, N. J. C. Spooner6, L. T. Truc4, and L. Yang18 (COSINE-100 Collaboration)

  • 1Department of Physics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
  • 2Center for Underground Physics, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34126, Republic of Korea
  • 3Physics Institute, University of São Paulo, 05508-090, São Paulo, Brazil
  • 4Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
  • 5Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
  • 6Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
  • 7Department of Physics, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06973, Republic of Korea
  • 8Center for Exotic Nuclear Studies, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34126, Republic of Korea
  • 9Department of Science Education, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
  • 10IBS School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
  • 11Department of Physics and Wright Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
  • 12Department of Physics and Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
  • 13Department of Accelerator Science, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Republic of Korea
  • 14Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
  • 15Department of Physics and IQS, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
  • 16Department of Physics, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang 65145, Indonesia
  • 17Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
  • 18Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA

  • *Contact author: tksxk752@naver.com
  • †Contact author: ejjeon@ibs.re.kr
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 231001 – Published 2 December, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/77p2-rnbw

Abstract

We report limits on weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter derived from three years of data collected by the COSINE-100 experiment with NaI(Tl) crystals, achieving an improved energy threshold of 0.7 keV. This lowered threshold enhances sensitivity in the sub-GeV mass range, extending the reach for direct detection of low-mass dark matter. Although no excess of WIMP-like events was observed, the increased sensitivity enabled a model-insensitive comparison between the expected WIMP signal rate—based on mass limits from our data—and DAMA’s reported modulation amplitude. Our findings strongly disfavor the DAMA signal as originating from WIMP interactions, fully excluding DAMA/LIBRA 3σ allowed regions and providing enhanced WIMP mass limits by an order of magnitude in the spin-independent model compared to previous results. In the spin-dependent model, cross-section upper limits were obtained in the mass range [0.1–5.0] GeV/c2, with additional sensitivity to sub-GeV WIMPs through the inclusion of the Migdal effect. These results represent substantial progress in low-mass dark matter exploration and reinforce constraints on the longstanding DAMA claim.

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Outline

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 231001– Published 2 December, 2025
  • Received 24 January 2025
  • Revised 22 April 2025
  • Accepted 22 October 2025
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