We report on the first dark-matter(DM)search results from PandaX-I,a low threshold dual-phase xenon experiment operating at the China JinPing Underground Laboratory.In the 37-kg liquid xenon target with 17.4 live-days of exposure,no DM particle candidate event was found.This result sets a stringent limit for low-mass DM particles and disfavors the interpretation of previously-reported positive experimental results.The minimum upper limit,3.7×10-44cm2,for the spin-independent isoscalar DM-particle-nucleon scattering cross section is obtained at a DM-particle mass of 49 GeV/c2at 90%confidence level.
PandaX is a large liquid-xenon detector experiment usable for direct dark-matter detection and 136Xe double-beta decay search.The central vessel was designed to accommodate a staged target volume increase from initially 120 kg(stage I)to 0.5 t(stage II)and eventually to a multi-ton scale.The experiment is located in the Jinping Deep-Underground Laboratory in Sichuan,China.The detector operates in dual-phase mode,allowing detection of both prompt scintillation,and ionization charge through proportional scintillation.In this paper a detailed description of the stage I detector design and performance as well as results established during the commissioning phase are presented.
