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Theoretical Elementary Particle Physics

Prof. Alejandro Ibarra

Research Field

The Standard Model of Particle Physics provides an excellent description of nature at distances larger than E-16 cm, or equivalently energies smaller than 100 GeV. However, there are reasons to believe that the Standard Model is incomplete and needs to be extended. For instance, the Standard Model does not provide any explanation to the observed fermion masses and mixing angles or to the large hierarchy between the electroweak scale and the Planck scale. It does not provide either any explanation for some observed cosmological parameters, such as the baryon asymmetry of the Universe, the relic density of dark matter or the amount of dark energy. Our research group considers extensions of the Standard Model that might account for these observations and we study their consequences for present and future experiments.


James-Franck-Str. 1/I
85748 Garching b. München

Members of the Research Group





Other Staff


Course with Participations of Group Members

Offers for Theses in the Group

The Migdal effect and applications to dark matter searches

Atoms can be ionized by the interaction of a photon with one of the electrons in the atomic orbitals. As pointed out by Migdal in 1939, atoms could also be ionized by the interaction of a neutron with the atomic nucleus.  This process has been revisited recently in the context of dark matter detection. The most common strategy for dark matter detection is the search for nuclear recoils induced by dark matter interactions with the nucleus. However, the Migdal effect could also induce the ionization of the atom, leading to additional (sometimes unique) dark matter signals. In this bachelor thesis the student will calculate the probability of ionization of an atom due to the Migdal effect, and will analyze the implications for dark matter searches.

suitable as
  • Bachelor’s Thesis Physics
Supervisor: Alejandro Ibarra

Current and Finished Theses in the Group

The Dark Matter Velocity Distribution and Statistical Mechanics
Abschlussarbeit im Masterstudiengang Physik (Kern-, Teilchen- und Astrophysik)
Themensteller(in): Alejandro Ibarra
Cosmological observables for pinning down the nature of dark matter
Themensteller(in): Alejandro Ibarra
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