The overwhelming evidence for dark matter (DM) in cosmological observations, manifested by its gravitational interactions, has inspired a major experimental effort to uncover its particle nature. The LHC, as well as direct and indirect detection experiments, have significantly constrained one of the best-motivated weak-scale DM models (WIMPs as dark matter candidates). In contrast, scenarios in which dark matter resides in a hidden sector, comprising particles with masses in the MeV to GeV range, have garnered considerable attention. Models with hidden U(1) gauge symmetry are particularly attractive as they can be tested experimentally. If such vector gauge bosons - often called dark photons or heavy photons - exist, they mix with ordinary photons through kinetic mixing, which induces their weak coupling to the Standard Model electrical charge,
Jefferson Lab is uniquely positioned to search for such signatures using its high-intensity electron beams and dedicated experimental setups. In this talk, I will present an overview of the experimental program and the Jefferson Lab facilities focused on the search for light dark matter.
