# Ultralight dark matter detection with mechanical quantum sensors

## TL;DR

This paper proposes using quantum-limited mechanical sensors as a novel method to detect ultralight dark matter particles, focusing on sensors around milligram mass and kHz frequency range, complementing existing detection techniques.

## Contribution

It introduces a new approach utilizing quantum-limited mechanical sensors for ultralight dark matter detection, expanding the experimental toolkit beyond traditional methods.

## Key findings

- Mechanical sensors at milligram scale can detect dark matter signals.
- Quantum-limited sensors operate effectively around the standard quantum limit.
- The method complements existing dark matter search strategies.

## Abstract

We consider the use of quantum-limited mechanical force sensors to detect ultralight (sub-meV) dark matter candidates which are weakly coupled to the standard model. We show that mechanical sensors with masses around or below the milligram scale, operating around the standard quantum limit, would enable novel searches for dark matter with natural frequencies around the kHz scale. This would complement existing strategies based on torsion balances, atom interferometers, and atomic clock systems.