Abstract
The Compton-like production of massive dark photons is investigated in ultrarelativistic electron-ion collisions considering the kinetic mixing between the dark photon and the Standard Model photon. The quasi-real photons in the heavy ion are described by the EPA approximation and the model is employed to calculate the integrated cross section and event rates as a function of the dark photon mass, mγ′, and mixing parameter, ε. Predictions are shown for electron-ion colliders (EICs) in the mass range 100 ≤ mγ′ ≤ 500 MeV. Numerical results are provided within the kinematic coverage of the planned machines Electron-ion collider in China (EicC), A Polarized Electron-Ion Collider at Jefferson Lab (JLEIC), Electron Ion Collider/USA (EIC), Large Hadron Electron Collider (LHeC) and Future Circular Collider (FCC-eA). It complements existing search strategies for dark photons in the considered mass interval.