Sensitivity of proposed search for axion-induced magnetic field using optically pumped magnetometers

P.-H. Chu, L. D. Duffy, Y. J. Kim, and I. M. Savukov
Phys. Rev. D 97, 072011 – Published 17 April 2018

Abstract

We investigate the sensitivity of a search for the oscillating current induced by axion dark matter in an external magnetic field using optically pumped magnetometers. This experiment is based upon the LC circuit (circuit with inductor and capacitor) axion detection concept of Sikivie et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 131301 (2014)]. The modification of Maxwell’s equations caused by the axion-photon coupling results in a minute magnetic field oscillating at a frequency equal to the axion mass, in the presence of an external magnetic field. The axion-induced magnetic field could be searched for using a LC circuit amplifier with an optically pumped magnetometer, the most sensitive cryogen-free magnetic-field sensor, in a room-temperature experiment, avoiding the need for a complicated and expensive cryogenic system. We discuss how an existing magnetic resonance imaging experiment can be modified to search for axions in a previously unexplored part of the parameter space. Our existing detection setup, optimized for magnetic resonance imagining, is already sensitive to an axion-photon coupling of 107GeV1 for an axion mass near 3×1010eV, which is already limited by astrophysical processes and solar axion searches. We show that realistic modifications, and optimization of the experiment for axion detection, can probe the axion-photon coupling up to 4 orders of magnitude beyond the current best limit, for axion masses between 1011 and 107eV.

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  • Received 23 February 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.97.072011

© 2018 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

  1. Physical Systems
Atomic, Molecular & OpticalParticles & FieldsNuclear Physics

Authors & Affiliations

P.-H. Chu*, L. D. Duffy, Y. J. Kim, and I. M. Savukov

  • Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA

  • *pchu@lanl.gov
  • ldd@lanl.gov
  • youngjin@lanl.gov

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Vol. 97, Iss. 7 — 1 April 2018

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