DarkGEO: A Large-Scale Laser-Interferometric Axion Detector

TL;DR

DarkGEO proposes transforming the GEO600 gravitational-wave detector into a kilometre-scale laser-interferometric axion detector, capable of surpassing current constraints on axion-like particles in the 10^{-16} to 10^{-8} eV range.

Contribution

It introduces a novel upgrade plan for GEO600 to function as a large-scale axion detector, enhancing detection sensitivity and exploring new parameter space.

Findings

Design sensitivities for different iteration steps

Technical challenges identified from initial results

Potential to probe axion models related to grand-unified theories

Abstract

Axions and axion-like particles (ALPs) are leading candidates for dark matter. They are well motivated in many extensions of the Standard Model and supported by astronomical observations. We propose an iterative transformation of the existing facilities of the gravitational-wave detector and technology testbed GEO600, located near Ruthe in Germany, into a kilometre-scale upgrade of the laser-interferometric axion detector LIDA. The final DarkGEO detector could search for coincident signatures of axions and ALPs and significantly surpass the current constraints of both direct searches and astrophysical observations in the measurement band from $10^{-16}$ to $10^{-8}$ $\text{eV}$. We discuss realistic parameters and design sensitivities for the configurations of the different iteration steps as well as technical challenges known from the first LIDA results. The proposed DarkGEO detector will be well suited to probe the parameter space associated with predictions from theoretical models, like grand-unified theories, as well as from astrophysical evidence, like the cosmic infrared background.