Broadband Dark Matter Axion Detection using a Cylindrical Capacitor

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel cylindrical capacitor-based method to detect axion-like dark matter particles by converting their interactions into measurable magnetic fields, enabling broad mass range searches.

Contribution

It introduces a new experimental setup using a cylindrical capacitor and superconducting components to enhance sensitivity in axion detection across a wide mass spectrum.

Findings

The setup can distinguish axion signals via electric and magnetic field coupling differences.

Orientation dependence helps reduce noise from kinetic fluctuations.

The design allows for broad mass range axion searches with enhanced sensitivity.

Abstract

Cosmological axions/axion-like particles can compose a significant part of dark matter; however, the uncertainty of their mass is large. Here, we propose to search the axions using a cylindrical capacitor, in which the static electric field converts dark matter axions into an oscillating magnetic field. Due to the odd CPs, the axions couple to the electric field differently compared to the magnetic field. The axion couples to the electric field via a derivative that carries spatial information of incoming dark matter flux, while the coupling to the magnetic field depends on the dark matter density. This difference could be helpful in searching the axions and studies of the integrity of the theory, especially when the axions are very light, in which case the magnetic field-induced signal is DC-like. Orientation dependence could also be used to reduce the kinetic fluctuation-induced noise when multiple detectors operate simultaneously. In addition, a cylindrical setup shields the electric field to the laboratory and encompasses the axion-induced magnetic field within the capacitor. The induced oscillating magnetic field can then be picked up by a sensitive magnetometer. Adding a superconductor ring-coil system into the scheme can further boost the sensitivity and maintain the axion dark matter inherent bandwidth. This proposed setup could be capable of wide mass range searches.