Search for axion-like dark matter with ferromagnets
Search for axion-like dark matter with ferromagnets
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DOI：
10.1038/s41567-020-1006-6
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发表时间：
2020-03
期刊：
影响因子：
19.6
通讯作者：
A. Gramolin;Deniz Aybas;Dorian Johnson;J. Ádám;A. Sushkov
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
A. Gramolin;Deniz Aybas;Dorian Johnson;J. Ádám;A. Sushkov
超轻的类轴子粒子是有充分动机的暗物质候选者，自然地出现在高能物理理论中。在这里，我们报告的结果，直接搜索的电磁相互作用的轴子状暗物质的质量范围，跨越三十年，从12 peV到12 neV。探测方案是基于修改后的麦克斯韦方程组中存在的轴子状的暗物质，混合与静态磁场产生振荡磁场。该实验使用了由铁镍合金制成的铁磁粉芯的环形磁体，其将静态磁场增强了24倍。使用超导量子干涉器件，我们实现了150的磁灵敏度，这是在任何宽带传感器所证明的最灵敏的磁场测量水平。我们记录了41小时的数据，并在我们的部分质量范围内改进了轴子暗物质电磁耦合常数的最佳极限，在20 peV达到4.0 × 10−11GeV−1（95%置信水平）。我们的测量开始探索类轴子粒子的耦合强度和质量，它们与光子的混合可以解释宇宙对TeV γ射线的异常透明性。
Ultralight axion-like particles are well-motivated dark matter candidates, naturally emerging from theories of physics at ultrahigh energies. Here we report the results of a direct search for electromagnetic interactions of axion-like dark matter in the mass range that spans three decades from 12 peV to 12 neV. The detection scheme is based on a modification of Maxwell’s equations in the presence of axion-like dark matter that mixes with a static magnetic field to produce an oscillating magnetic field. The experiment makes use of toroidal magnets with ferromagnetic powder cores made of an iron–nickel alloy, which enhance the static magnetic field by a factor of 24. Using superconducting quantum interference devices, we achieve magnetic sensitivity of 150, which is at the level of the most sensitive magnetic field measurements demonstrated with any broadband sensor. We recorded 41 h of data and improved the best limits on the magnitude of electromagnetic coupling constant for axion-like dark matter over a part of our mass range, at 20 peV reaching 4.0 × 10−11GeV−1(95% confidence level). Our measurements begin to explore the coupling strengths and masses of axion-like particles, where their mixing with photons could explain the anomalous transparency of the Universe to TeV γ-rays.