First Search for Neutral Current Coherent Single-Photon Production in MicroBooNE

This article presents the first search for neutrino-induced neutral current coherent single-photon production (NC coherent 1$\gamma$). The search makes use of data from the MicroBooNE 85-tonne active volume liquid argon time projection chamber detector, situated in the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB), with an average neutrino energy of $\langle E_{\nu}\rangle \sim 0.8$ GeV. A targeted selection of candidate neutrino interactions with a single photon-like electromagnetic shower in the final state and no visible vertex activity was developed to search for the NC coherent 1$\gamma$ process, along with two auxiliary selections used to constrain the dominant background from NC$\pi^0$ production. With an integrated exposure of $6.87 \times 10^{20}$ protons on target delivered by the BNB, we set the world's first limit for this rare process, corresponding to an upper limit on the flux-averaged cross section of $\sigma<1.49 \times 10^{-41}\text{cm}^2$ at 90% C.L.. Authors: Abratenko, P. [Tufts U. (main)]; Aldana, D. Andrade [IIT, Chicago] (ORCID:0009000831433374); Arellano, L. [U. Manchester (main)] (ORCID:0000000210931824); Asaadi, J. [Texas U., Arlington (main)]; Ashkenazi, A. [Tel Aviv U. (main)]. DOE Contract: 89243024CSC000002. Subjects: 72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS