A microwave paraphoton and axion detection experiment with 300 dB electromagnetic shielding at 3 GHz

TL;DR

This paper reports on a highly shielded microwave experiment at 3 GHz designed to detect axions or paraphotons, employing advanced shielding and sensitive detection techniques to improve existing limits.

Contribution

It introduces a novel 'box in a box' shielding method combined with a high-resolution microwave detection system for axion and paraphoton searches.

Findings

Achieved over 300 dB electromagnetic shielding attenuation.

Developed a sensitive detection setup with micro-Hz resolution.

Presented initial experimental results and layout.

Abstract

For the microwave equivalent of "light shining through the wall" (LSW) experiments, a sensitive microwave detector and very high electromagnetic shielding is required. The screening attenuation between the axion generating cavity and the nearby detection cavity should be greater than 300 dB, in order to improve over presently existing exclusion limits. To achieve these goals in practice, a "box in a box" concept was utilized for shielding the detection cavity, while a vector signal analyzer was used as a microwave receiver with a very narrow resolution bandwidth in the order of a few micro-Hz. This contribution will present the experimental layout and the results to date.