Axion Dark Matter Experiment at High Frequency (ADMX-HF)

天体物理学和宇宙学数据令人信服地指出，宇宙中存在大量冷暗物质，但暗物质的性质仍然未知。轴子可能是暗物质的候选者。该奖项将支持轴子暗物质实验-高频（ADMX-HF），该实验在银河系晕中搜索轴子。ADMX- hf将ADMX实验的范围扩展到更高的频段，探测具有痕量质量的轴子和具有足够质量的轴子，以解释宇宙中所有物质的密度。因此，ADMX-HF是一种独特的强大的轴子暗物质探测器。已经开发了一些支持ADMX-HF的新技术。这些在其他领域的高精度测量中具有潜在的应用前景。该集团有雇佣本科生从事研究的历史，这为实验控制和数据分析软件、机械和电子组装等领域提供了培训和经验。利用磁场渗透的微波腔谐振器组成的装置，可以将星系晕中的轴子转换成窄带微波信号。ADMX- hf是一个小型的微波腔实验，它既是一个探路者，在10到100微电子伏特范围内获得第一个数据，也是一个试验台，用于开发新的腔和量子限制光子探测方案，这些方案可以迁移到更大的ADMX平台。所有主要系统都已建成，并正在整合到实验中，很快将开始全面调试。在此授奖期间，ADMX-HF将过渡到常规数据采集操作，探测16.5至66微电子伏范围，覆盖与宇宙物质密度饱和相对应的轴子质量。

Astrophysical and cosmological data point convincingly to a large component of cold dark matter in the Universe, but the nature of that dark matter is still unknown. Axions are possible dark matter candidates. This award will support the Axion Dark Matter eXperiment - High Frequency (ADMX-HF), which searches for Axions in the galactic halo. ADMX-HF extends the range of the ADMX experiment to the higher frequency band that probes both Axions with trace mass and Axions with sufficient mass to account for all the matter density in the Universe. ADMX-HF is therefore a uniquely powerful probe of Axion dark matter. Several new technologies have been developed in support of ADMX-HF. These have potential applications for high-precision measurements in other fields. The group has a history of employing undergraduates in the research, which provides training and experience in the areas of experimental control and data analysis software, mechanical and electronic assembly.Axions in the galactic halo can be converted into a narrow-band microwave signal by an apparatus consisting of a microwave-cavity resonator permeated by a magnetic field. ADMX-HF is a small microwave cavity experiment that serves as both a pathfinder to take first data in the 10 to 100 micro-electronvolt range and as a test-bed for developing new cavities and quantum-limited photon detection schemes that could be migrated to the larger ADMX platform. All major systems have been constructed and are being integrated into the experiment with full commissioning to begin soon. During this award period ADMX-HF should transition to routine data-taking operation and probe the 16.5 to 66 micro-electronvolt range, bracketing the mass of the axion that corresponds to saturation of the matter density of the universe.