Resonant search for the X17 boson at PADME

Abstract

We discuss the experimental reach of the Frascati PADME experiment in searching for new light bosons via their resonant production in positron annihilation on fixed target atomic electrons. A scan in the mass range around 17 MeV will thoroughly probe the particle physics interpretation of the anomaly observed by the ATOMKI nuclear physics experiment. In particular, for the case of a spin-1 boson, the viable parameter space can be fully covered in a few months of data taking.

Comments: 8 pages, 5 figures and 1 table. Version published in Physical Review D. Typos corrected in Eqs. 6 and 7