First search for axion dark matter with a Madmax prototype

TL;DR

This paper reports the first axion dark matter search using a dielectric haloscope prototype, setting new upper limits on axion-photon coupling in specific mass ranges with no detection.

Contribution

It introduces the first experimental search for axion dark matter employing a dielectric haloscope, demonstrating the feasibility and setting constraints in the targeted mass ranges.

Findings

No axion signal detected in the data.

Set a 95% CL upper limit on axion-photon coupling of ~2 x 10^{-11} GeV^{-1}.

Surpassed previous experimental constraints in the studied mass ranges.

Abstract

This paper presents the first search for dark matter axions with mass in the ranges 76.56 to 76.82 $\mu$eV and 79.31 to 79.53 $\mu$eV using a prototype setup for the MAgnetized Disk and Mirror Axion eXperiment (MADMAX). The experimental setup employs a dielectric haloscope consisting of three sapphire disks and a mirror to resonantly enhance the axion-induced microwave signal within the magnetic dipole field provided by the 1.6 T Morpurgo magnet at CERN. Over 14.5 days of data collection, no axion signal was detected. A 95% CL upper limit on the axion-photon coupling strength down to $|g_{a\gamma}| \sim 2 \times 10^{-11} \mathrm{GeV}^{-1}$ is set in the targeted mass ranges, surpassing previous constraints, assuming a local axion dark matter density $\rho_{a}$ of $0.3~\mathrm{GeV}/\mathrm{cm}^3$. This study marks the first axion dark matter search using a dielectric haloscope.