Searching for invisible axion dark matter with a new multiple-cell cavity haloscope

Over the previous few many years, many experimental physicists have been probing the existence of particles known as axions, which might end result from a selected mechanism that they suppose may clarify the contradiction between theories and experiments describing a elementary symmetry. This symmetry is related to a matter-antimatter imbalance within the Universe, mirrored in interactions between totally different particles.

If this mechanism happened within the early Universe, such a particle may need a really small mass and be ‘invisible.” Subsequently, researchers proposed that the axion may additionally be a promising candidate for darkish matter, an elusive, hypothetical kind of matter that doesn’t emit, replicate or soak up mild.

Whereas darkish matter has not but been experimentally noticed, it’s believed to make up 85% of universe’s mass. Detecting axions may have vital implications for ongoing darkish matter experiments, because it may improve the current understanding of those elusive particles.

Researchers on the Institute for Primary Science (IBS) have just lately carried out a seek for invisible axion darkish matter utilizing a multiple-cell cavity haloscope that they designed (i.e., an instrument to watch halos, parhelia, and different comparable bodily phenomena). Their outcomes in contrast favorably to these of earlier haloscope-based axion darkish matter searches, highlighting the potential of the instrument they created for each darkish matter searches and different physics analysis.

“The axion is detectable within the type of a microwave photon that it’s transformed into within the presence of a powerful magnetic subject,” SungWoo Youn, one of many researchers who carried out the research, informed Phys.org. “A cavity haloscope, usually using a cylindrical resonator positioned in a solenoid to make the most of resonance to boost the sign, is probably the most delicate method to probe the well-established theoretical fashions.”

Whereas cavity haloscopes might be promising instruments for detecting axions, they’re typically very delicate to comparatively low frequencies. That is primarily as a result of resonant frequencies are inversely proportional to the cavity’s radius, which reduces the detection quantity for high-frequency searches.

This is among the the reason why probably the most delicate axion search carried out to this point, particularly the Axion Darkish Matter eXperiment (ADMC) by the College of Washington, set experimental limits beneath 1GHz. One of many doable methods to keep away from this quantity loss can be to bundle many smaller cavities collectively and mix particular person alerts, to make sure that all frequencies and phases are synchronized.

“This multiple-cavity system has been proposed earlier, however has not been efficiently addressed, on account of results on the reliability and elevated complexity of the system’s operation,” Youn stated. “Our group on the Middle for Axion and Precision Physics Analysis (CAPP) at IBS, situated on the Korea Superior Institute of Science and Expertise (KAIST) in South Korea, led on my own, thus developed a novel cavity design, so-called multiple-cell cavity.”

The cavity haloscope designed by Youn and his colleagues is characterised by a number of partitions that vertically divide the amount of its cavity into equivalent cells. This distinctive design will increase resonant frequencies with a minimal loss in quantity. The researchers additionally ensured that partitions located in the course of the cavity are separated by a niche.

“By making all of the cells spatially related, our design allows a single antenna to select up the sign from the whole quantity and thus considerably simplifies the construction of the receiver chain,” Youn defined. “The optimally sized hole additionally permits the axion-induced sign to be evenly distributed over the area, which maximizes the efficient quantity no matter machining tolerance and mechenical misalighment in cavity building. I dubbed this cavity design ‘pizza cavity’ and in contrast the hole to a pizza saver, which retains slices intact with its unique toppings.”

The haloscope that the researchers used to conduct their experiment is the results of roughly two years of analysis based mostly on simulations, adopted by the fabrication of quite a few prototypes. Of their latest research, it was used to carry out a seek for axion darkish matter using a 9T-superconducting magnet at a temperature of two kelvin (−271 °C). This allowed the researchers to rapidly scan a frequency vary of >200 MHz above three GHz, which is 4~5 occasions larger than that lined by the ADMX experiment.

“Even when now we have not noticed any axion-like sign, we efficiently demonstrated that the multiple-cell cavity would be capable to detect excessive frequency alerts with excessive efficiency and reliability,” Youn stated. “We additionally calculated that as a result of bigger quantity and better effectivity, this new cavity design can allow us to discover the given frequency vary Four occasions quicker than the traditional one. I usually make a humorous however significant assertion: “If a standard experiment takes Four years to probe one thing, our experiment will take just one yr. Our Ph.D. college students can graduate lots quicker than others.'”

The research carried out by Youn and his colleagues proves the worth and potential of the pizza-cavity haloscope they developed for conducting invisible dark matter searches in high-frequency areas. Sooner or later, it may thus support the seek for this elusive kind of matter and sometime maybe even allow its detection.

“At present, our middle can also be getting ready for experiments by grafting a number of pizza cavities onto the prevailing methods to seek for even higher-frequency axions,” Youn added.

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