A Search for Hidden Sector Photons with ADMX

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for hidden sector photons using the ADMX detector, setting new limits on their kinetic coupling strength for masses below 3 microelectronvolts, thus advancing the experimental constraints on dark matter candidates.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel application of the ADMX detector to search for hidden sector photons, achieving over two orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity compared to previous experiments.

Findings

Excluded hidden vector bosons with kinetic couplings above 3.48x10^-8 for masses below 3 μeV

Achieved the most stringent limits to date on hidden photon kinetic mixing in this mass range

Demonstrated the effectiveness of microwave cavity techniques in dark matter searches

Abstract

Hidden U(1) gauge symmetries are common to many extensions of the Standard Model proposed to explain dark matter. The hidden gauge vector bosons of such extensions may mix kinetically with Standard Model photons, providing a means for electromagnetic power to pass through conducting barriers. The ADMX detector was used to search for hidden vector bosons originating in an emitter cavity driven with microwave power. We exclude hidden vector bosons with kinetic couplings {\chi} > 3.48x10-8 for masses less than 3 {\mu}eV. This limit represents an improvement of more than two orders of magnitude in sensitivity relative to previous cavity experiments.