Axion Searches

The Axion is a long standing candidate for both the Dark Matter in the Universe, as well as a solution to the Strong CP problem in the Standard Model of Particle Physics. Unfortunately, the most sensitive modern approaches to axion detection rely on finely-tuned resonant cavities to enhance the extremely weak axion-induced electromagnetic signals. The obstacles to creating a truly broadband experimental approach are many, however, our group is currently involved in early efforts to do exactly that.

Approach

The BREAD Collaboration (led by Andrew Sonnenschein at Fermilab) has been formed to pursue a novel concept for axion detection.
We have proposed a conceptual design [arXiv:2111.12103] for the Broadband Reflector Experiment for Axion Detection (BREAD) to directly search for bosonic dark matter in the mass range 1-100 meV.
This multidecade mass sensitivity above conventional resonant cavity haloscopes is achieved using a cryogenically-cooled cylindrical metallic barrel, which converts dark matter into photons.
The signal is focused using a novel parabolic reflector onto low-noise superconducting photosensors sensitive to single photons in the corresponding frequency range 0.3-30 THz.
A pilot 1 square meter barrel setup can probe unconstrained dark photon couplings, while QCD axion sensitivity requires a 10 T magnet surrounding a 10 square meter barrel.