We study dark matter that inelastically scatters and deexcites in direct detection experiments, as an interpretation of the CDMS-Si events in light of the recent LUX data. The constraints from LUX and XENON10 require the mass splitting between the DM excited and deexcited states to be $|\delta |\gtrsim 50\mathrm{keV}$. At the same time, the CDMS-Si data themselves do not allow for a consistent DM interpretation for mass splittings larger than $|\delta |\sim 200\mathrm{keV}$. We find that a low-threshold analysis will be needed to rule out this interpretation of the CDMS-Si events. In a simple model with a kinetically mixed dark photon, we show that the CDMS-Si rate and the thermal relic abundance can both be accommodated.

• Received 9 January 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.89.051701