DAMA/NaI results on a preliminary search for Q-balls
Theories with low-energy supersymmetry predict the existence of stable
non-topological solitons, named Q-balls,
with mass greater than about 108 GeV, which
may be produced in the Early Universe.
2002 - A re-analysis in terms of a preliminary search for Q-balls
of the delayed coincidence data with energy above 60 keV collected
during 350.05 days by two planes of the ~ 100 kg NaI(Tl)
DAMA set-up (previously considered for a SIMPs search)
has been performed. No Q-ball candidate has
been found and 90% C.L. exclusion plots have been calculated
for the model framework given in the related reference.
In particular, the obtained 90% C.L. upper limits on Q-balls flux are less stringent
than those published e.g. by the lake Baikal underwater Gyrlyanda array,
while for charged Q-balls better limits could be
reached by analysing the MACRO data.
However, the obtained results are the first ones obtained
by using crystal scintillators and can be significantly
improved in future by
exploiting a simpler approach in a larger mass NaI(Tl) set-up.