Search for the Migdal effect in a liquid xenon TPC

Direct dark matter experiments have not yet made a discovery, and improving detector sensitivity to the sub-GeV regime is increasingly important for G2, and potentially G3, dark matter detectors to maximize their search windows using current technologies. One potential avenue for improving detector sensitivity to low-mass dark matter is to exploit the theorized Migdal effect in which a nuclear recoil is accompanied by an atomic excitation. The resulting electron de-excitation produces an electron recoil signal in the ~keV regime which is typically above the threshold for detection in current dark matter detectors. I will present the results from a Migdal effect search conducted in a small liquid xenon Time Projection Chamber (TPC) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory using a 14.1 MeV DT neutron source and discuss plans for a follow-up measurement with a 2.45 MeV DD neutron source.