Axion dark matter: new experimental search, phenomenological motivation, and theoretical background ((10) D05+)

轴子是宇宙暗物质最具吸引力的候选粒子之一。将寻求一种新的搜索方法，基于强B场中的层状介质，将暗物质轴子转换为微波光子(约25 GHz)。我们100 eV左右的质量范围是对现有实验的补充，在充气后发生Peccei-Quinn转变的情况下是很自然的。还将研究由轴子场域拼凑而成的宇宙生产以及伴随的微星团的形成。弦理论中的模型建立补充了这些实验和现象学研究，为Peccei-Quinn机制和宇宙学相关的轴子提供了一个真正统一的框架。

Axions are among the most attractive particle candidates for cosmic dark matter. A new search approach will be pursued, based on layered dielectrics in a strong B-field, to convert dark-matter axions to microwave photons (around 25 GHz). Our mass range around 100 eV complements existing experiments and is natural in scenarios where the Peccei-Quinn transition occurs after inflation. The cosmic production from a patchwork of axion-field domains and concomitant minicluster formation will be studied as well. Model building in string theory complements these experimental and phenomenological investigations to provide a truly unified framework for the Peccei-Quinn mechanism and cosmologically relevant axions.