Implications of Quantum Gravity for Dark Matter Searches with Atom Interferometers

TL;DR

Atom interferometers like MAGIS, AION, and AEDGE can explore light dark matter models and quantum gravity effects, with current data ruling out some couplings and future experiments probing significant parameter space.

Contribution

This paper demonstrates the potential of atom interferometers to simultaneously probe light dark matter and quantum gravity, highlighting current constraints and future sensitivities.

Findings

Linear coupling of scalar dark matter to electrons/photons is ruled out by existing data.

Quadratic coupling of scalar dark matter remains viable and will be tested by upcoming experiments.

Atom interferometers can serve as tools for quantum gravity investigations.

Abstract

In this brief paper, we show that atom interferometer experiments such as MAGIS, AION or AEDGE have the potential to not only probe very light dark matter models, but they will also probe quantum gravity. We show that the linear coupling of a singlet scalar dark matter particle to electrons or photons is already ruled out by our current understanding of quantum gravity coupled to data from torsion pendulum experiments. On the other hand, the quadratic coupling of scalar dark matter to electrons and photons has a large viable parameter space which will be probed by these atom interferometers. Implications for searches of quantum gravity are discussed.