STAX. An Axion-like Particle Search with Microwave Photons

TL;DR

This paper proposes an advanced microwave-based detection scheme for axion-like particles using high-intensity photon sources, sensitive detectors, and resonant cavities, potentially improving current laboratory limits by four orders of magnitude.

Contribution

It introduces a novel experimental setup combining gyrotrons, TES detectors, and microwave cavities for axion-like particle searches, enhancing detection sensitivity significantly.

Findings

Potential to improve exclusion limits by at least four orders of magnitude.

Utilizes high-power microwave sources and sensitive detectors in a resonant cavity setup.

Applicable to axion masses below 0.02 meV.

Abstract

We discuss an improved detection scheme for a light-shining-through-wall (LSW) experiment for axion-like particle searches. We propose to use: gyrotrons or klystrons, which can provide extremely intense photon fluxes at frequencies around 30 GHz; transition-edge-sensors (TES) single photon detectors in this frequency domain, with efficiency $\approx1$; high quality factor Fabry-Perot cavities in the microwave domain, both on the photon-axion conversion and photon regeneration sides. We compute that present laboratory exclusion limits on axion-like particles might be improved by at least four orders of magnitude for axion masses $\lesssim 0.02$ meV.