An introduction to axions and their detection

TL;DR

This paper provides an introductory overview of axions, covering their theoretical background, astrophysical significance, dark matter role, and experimental detection methods, with a focus on recent efforts and future prospects.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive, accessible introduction to axion physics, emphasizing experimental techniques and summarizing current and future detection efforts.

Findings

Review of worldwide axion detection experiments

Summary of axion phenomenology and astrophysical roles

Discussion of future experimental prospects

Abstract

In these notes I try to introduce the reader to the topic of axions: their theoretical motivation and expected phenomenology, their role in astrophysics and as dark matter candidate, and the experimental techniques to detect them. Special emphasis is made in this last point, for which a relatively updated review of worldwide efforts and future prospects is made. The material is intended as an introduction to the topic, and it was prepared as lecture notes for Les Houches summer school 2021. Abundant references are included to direct the reader to deeper insight on the different aspects of axion physics.