{
  "abstract": "This analysis presents the first proof-of-concept search for axion-like particles (ALPs) using a hybrid Cherenkov-scintillation detector at a beam-dump facility. The work is based on the Coherent CAPTAIN-Mills (CCM) experiment, a 10-ton liquid argon light collection detector located at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The CCM200 detector is instrumented with 200 photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), providing approximately 50% photocathode coverage. To enable optical discrimination, 80% of the PMTs are coated with a wavelength-shifting material while the remaining 20% are left uncoated. This configuration, combined with nanosecond-scale timing resolution, provides sensitivity to prompt Cherenkov radiation while maintaining efficient detection of liquid argon scintillation light [1, 2]. This analysis constructs four observables that exploit the Cherenkov emission and event topology expected from ALP-induced electromagnetic interactions. These observables are combined into a likelihood-ratio classifier that provides powerful rejection of steady-state backgrounds. No statistically significant excess above the expected background prediction is observed for $10^{-3}~\\mathrm{MeV} < m_a < 10~\\mathrm{MeV}$. Nevertheless, the improved background rejection enabled by hybrid Cherenkov-scintillation detection allows this analysis to surpass the sensitivity of the previous CCM120 search [3] despite less exposure and demonstrate the physics potential for hybrid Cherenkov-scintillation detectors.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2608.12616",
  "author_total": 46,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "A. A. Aguilar-Arevalo"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Biedron"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Boissevain"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Borrego"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. Bugel"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Chavez-Estrada"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. M. Conrad"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. L. Cooper"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. R. Distel"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. C. D'Olivo"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. Dunton"
    },
    {
      "name": "B. Dutta"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. E. Fields"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Gold"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. Guardincerri"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. C. Huang"
    },
    {
      "name": "N. Kamp"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Kim"
    },
    {
      "name": "K. Knickerbocker"
    },
    {
      "name": "W. C. Louis"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. F. Macias-Acevedo"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. Mahapatra"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Mezzetti"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Mirabal"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. J. Mocko"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. A. Newmark"
    },
    {
      "name": "P. deNiverville"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. O'Connor"
    },
    {
      "name": "V. Pandey"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Poulson"
    },
    {
      "name": "H. Ray"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. Renner"
    },
    {
      "name": "T. J. Schaub"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Schneider"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. H. Shaevitz"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Smith"
    },
    {
      "name": "W. Sondheim"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. M. Szelc"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Taylor"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Thompson"
    },
    {
      "name": "W. H. Thompson"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. T. Thornton"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Tripathi"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. Van Berg"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. G. Van de Water"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Zettlemoyer"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7ge1y8by4yptd.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2608.12616",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "7ge1y8by4yptd",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.12616",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "hep-ex"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.12616",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-27",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7ge1y8by4yptd.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:36:22Z",
      "native_id": "2608.12616",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.12616"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:hep-ex",
      "subfield": "high-energy"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Axion-Like Particle Search with a Hybrid Cherenkov-Scintillation Detector",
  "title_text": "Axion-Like Particle Search with a Hybrid Cherenkov-Scintillation Detector",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-01T12:20:44Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7ge1y8by4yptd",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}