Searching for ultra-light dark matter with optical cavities

TL;DR

This paper proposes using optical cavities to detect ultra-light dark matter by measuring oscillations in fundamental constants, potentially exploring new parameter space in the 0.1-10 kHz frequency range.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method employing differential strain measurements in optical cavities to search for VULF dark matter.

Findings

Over two orders of magnitude of unexplored phase space can be probed.

Effective at VULF frequencies in the audible range (0.1-10 kHz).

Provides a new experimental approach for dark matter detection.

Abstract

We discuss the use of optical cavities as tools to search for dark matter (DM) composed of virialized ultra-light fields (VULFs). Such fields could lead to oscillating fundamental constants, resulting in oscillations of the length of rigid bodies. We propose searching for these effects via differential strain measurement of rigid and suspended-mirror cavities. We estimate that more than two orders of magnitude of unexplored phase space for VULF DM couplings can be probed at VULF Compton frequencies in the audible range of 0.1-10 kHz.