Probing Sub-eV Dark Photon, Scalar and Axion-like Particle Dark Matters with Transmon Qubits

TL;DR

This paper explores how transmon qubits can be used to detect sub-eV dark matter particles by measuring quasiparticle production, providing new constraints on dark photon, scalar, and axion-like particles.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method using transmon qubits to set constraints on light dark matter particles through quasiparticle measurements.

Findings

First constraints on dark photon, scalar, and axion-like particles from transmon qubit experiments.

Demonstrates potential of quantum qubits for direct dark matter detection.

Provides a new experimental approach for underground dark matter searches.

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate constraints of the transmon qubit, an improved version of the charge qubit, on bosonic light dark matters. Phonon excitations induced by the scattering or absorption of dark matter on a superconductor may destroy the Cooper pair, leading to the production of quasiparticles made by the electron. By measuring the production rate of the quasiparticle density, one may read out the coupling between dark matter and ordinary matter, assuming that these quasiparticles are solely induced by dark matter interactions. For the first time, we show constraints on the parameter space of the dark photon, light scalar dark matter, and axion-like particles from the measurement of quasiparticles in transmon qubit experiments. This study offers insights for the development of quantum qubit experiments aimed at the direct detection of dark matter in underground laboratories.