Sensitivity of Proposed Search for Axion-induced Magnetic Field using Optically Pumped Magnetometers

Abstract

We investigate a search for the oscillating current induced by axion dark matter in an external magnetic field using optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs). This experiment is based upon the LC circuit axion detection concept of Sikivie, Sullivan, and Tanner. The modification of Maxwell's equations caused by the axion-photon coupling results in a minute oscillating magnetic field at the frequency equal to the axion mass in the presence of magnetic field. This induced magnetic field could be searched for using an LC circuit amplifier with an OPM, 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 (MRI) experiment can be modified to search for axions in a previously unexplored part of the parameter space. Our existing detection setup, optimized for MRI, is already sensitive to an axion-photon coupling of $10^{-7}$ GeV${}^{-1}$ for an axion mass near $3\times 10^{-10}$ eV. While this is ruled out by limits from astrophysics and solar axion searches, we show that realistic modifications, and optimization of the experiment for axion detection, can set a new limit on the axion-photon coupling up to three orders of magnitude beyond the current best limit, for axion masses between $10^{-11}$ eV and $10^{-7}$ eV.ion masses between $10^{-11}$ eV and $10^{-7}$ eV.

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Cited by in corpus (5)

• Invisible Axion Search Methods
• ADMX SLIC: Results from a Superconducting LC Circuit Investigating Cold Axions
• Constraints on the Coupling between Axionlike Dark Matter and Photons Using an Antiproton Superconducting Tuned Detection Circuit in a Cryogenic Penning Trap
• Search for an axion-induced oscillating electric dipole moment for electrons using atomic magnetometers
• Sensitivity of ultralight axion dark matter search with optical quantum sensors