Abstract
We propose an approach to search for axion dark matter with a specially designed superconducting radio frequency cavity, targeting axions with masses ma ≲ 10−6 eV. Our approach exploits axion-induced transitions between nearly degenerate resonant modes of frequency ∼ GHz. A scan over axion mass is achieved by varying the frequency splitting between the two modes. Compared to traditional approaches, this allows for parametrically enhanced signal power for axions lighter than a GHz. The projected sensitivity covers unexplored parameter space for QCD axion dark matter for 10−8 eV ≲ ma ≲ 10−6 eV and axion-like particle dark matter as light as ma ∼ 10−14 eV.
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Berlin, A., D’Agnolo, R.T., Ellis, S.A.R. et al. Axion dark matter detection by superconducting resonant frequency conversion. J. High Energ. Phys. 2020, 88 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP07(2020)088
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP07(2020)088