PICO-500 is the next generation detector that builds upon the principles demonstrated by the PICO-2L, -60, and -40L programs. The scaled-up detector will have an active volume of about 250 litres and will use a synthetic quartz vessel, just like PICO-2L, PICO-60 and PICO-40L before it. The PICO collaboration is currently working on the installation and construction of PICO-500, which will be hosted in the Cube Hall at SNOLAB (the second-largest experimental hall). PICO is planning to operate PICO-500 with a target liquid of C3F8 (“freon”) to achieve a world leading sensitivity for dark matter coupling to ordinary matter though its spin.
The experiment has received full funding from CFI and the Canadian provinces, and work of the collaboration is supported by funding agencies including NSERC and the National Science Foundation. We are grateful to our partners for their support and are excited to deliver more science from this program.