The quest for axions and other new light particles

TL;DR

This paper reviews ongoing and future experimental efforts to detect axions and similar light particles predicted by Standard Model extensions, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize fundamental physics understanding.

Contribution

It highlights the importance of small-scale experiments in exploring uncharted parameter space for axions and similar particles, complementing collider searches.

Findings

Current experiments are probing new parameter regions.

Next-generation experiments will significantly expand search capabilities.

Discovery potential could impact fundamental physics theories.

Abstract

Standard Model extensions often predict low-mass and very weakly interacting particles, such as the axion. A number of small-scale experiments at the intensity/precision frontier are actively searching for these elusive particles, complementing searches for physics beyond the Standard Model at colliders. Whilst a next generation of experiments will give access to a huge unexplored parameter space, a discovery would have a tremendous impact on our understanding of fundamental physics.