Direct detection of WIMPs with the HDMS-experiment and new WIMP-limits from the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment

The Heidelberg-Dark-Matter-Search (HDMS) experiment consists of two HPGe-de tectors which operate in a unique configuration. The anticoincidence betwee n the detectors will act as an effective background reduction method allowi ng to reach a sensitivity comparable to those of planned cryogenic experime nts. The experiment is situated in the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory an d starts to take data now. New upper limits on WIMP-nucleon cross sections are obtained after 0.53 kg yr of measurement with one of the enriched Ge-76 detectors of the Heidelberg-Moscow experiment. An energy threshold of 8.8 keV and a background level of 0.05 events/kg yr keV in the energy region be tween 8.8 and 100 keV was reached. The derived limits are at present the mo st stringent ones for spin independent interaction obtained by using only r aw data without background subtraction. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.