We measured the nuclear--recoil ionization yield in silicon with a cryogenic
phonon-sensitive gram-scale detector. Neutrons from a mono-energetic beam
scatter off of the silicon nuclei at angles corresponding to energy depositions
from 4\,keV down to 100\,eV, the lowest energy probed so far. The results show
no sign of an ionization production threshold above 100\,eV. These results call
for further investigation of the ionization yield theory and a comprehensive
determination of the detector response function at energies below the keV
scale.
Stephen Sekula
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