Analysis of single-photon and linear amplifier detectors for microwave cavity dark matter axion searches

TL;DR

This paper compares single-photon detectors and linear amplifiers for microwave cavity dark matter axion searches, showing that at frequencies above 10 GHz, single-photon detectors become more effective and preferred.

Contribution

It demonstrates that single-photon detectors are competitive with linear amplifiers at higher frequencies, identifying the crossover point around 10 GHz for axion detection.

Findings

Single-photon detectors outperform linear amplifiers above 10 GHz.

The crossover frequency for detector preference is near 10 GHz.

Single-photon detection becomes advantageous for higher axion masses.

Abstract

We show that at higher frequencies, and thus higher axion masses, single-photon detectors become competitive and ultimately favored, when compared to quantum-limited linear amplifiers, as the detector technology in microwave cavity experimental searches for galactic halo dark matter axions. The cross-over point in this comparison is of order 10 GHz ($\sim 40\ \mu$eV), not far above the frequencies of current searches.