Probing a Light Scalar Boson with a few-MeV Proton Beam Deep Underground

Abstract: We propose to investigate the production of a light scalar boson $\phi$ in low-energy proton-nucleus interactions using the 3.5 MV accelerator of the Bellotti Ion Beam Facility, located in the underground Gran Sasso National Laboratory. Nuclear reactions induced by a few-MeV proton beam on suitable target materials can act as a controlled source of $\phi$ particles. Owing to the deep-underground location, the facility benefits from substantial cosmic-ray shielding, enabling searches for rare processes with minimal background. The produced $\phi$ particles will be sought with large-volume, low-background detectors already operating or currently under construction at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory. This approach combines a tunable accelerator-based production mechanism with the exceptional sensitivity of underground rare-event searches, offering a novel avenue to probe light scalar bosons beyond the Standard Model.