Search for Ultralight Scalar Dark Matter with Atomic Spectroscopy.
Search for Ultralight Scalar Dark Matter with Atomic Spectroscopy.
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DOI：
10.1103/physrevlett.115.011802
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发表时间：
2015-03
影响因子：
8.6
通讯作者：
Ken Van Tilburg;N. Leefer;L. Bougas;D. Budker
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Ken Van Tilburg;N. Leefer;L. Bougas;D. Budker
我们报告了超轻标量暗物质（DM）与光子的类光子耦合的新限制，这种耦合可以引起精细结构常数α的振荡。镝原子的电子结构有两个接近简并的能级，其能量分裂对α的变化很敏感。光谱数据的两个同位素的镝在两年的跨度进行了分析，相干振荡的角频率低于1拉德s-1。没有发现与DM耦合一致的信号，导致在宽质量范围内对类光子耦合的新约束。在标量场包括所有DM的假设下，我们对耦合的限制超过了等效原理测试的限制，对于质量低于3×10（-18）eV的情况，超过了4个数量级。过量的振荡功率，与精细结构的变化不一致，在控制通道中检测到，并且可能是由于系统效应。我们对DM的原子光谱限制是同类中的第一个，并且为最先进的原子钟留下了很大的改进空间。
We report new limits on ultralight scalar dark matter (DM) with dilatonlike couplings to photons that can induce oscillations in the fine-structure constant α. Atomic dysprosium exhibits an electronic structure with two nearly degenerate levels whose energy splitting is sensitive to changes in α. Spectroscopy data for two isotopes of dysprosium over a two-year span are analyzed for coherent oscillations with angular frequencies below 1 rad s-1. No signal consistent with a DM coupling is identified, leading to new constraints on dilatonlike photon couplings over a wide mass range. Under the assumption that the scalar field comprises all of the DM, our limits on the coupling exceed those from equivalence-principle tests by up to 4 orders of magnitude for masses below 3×10(-18) eV. Excess oscillatory power, inconsistent with fine-structure variation, is detected in a control channel, and is likely due to a systematic effect. Our atomic spectroscopy limits on DM are the first of their kind, and leave substantial room for improvement with state-of-the-art atomic clocks.