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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Mapping Dark Matter on Small Scales with the Cosmic Microwave Background (Final Report)

Sehgal was funded by DOE Grant DE-SC0020441 over the period from 11/1/2019 - 04/30/2024 (no remaining funds are anticipated). Most recently, Sehgal and her group completed a publication forecasting cosmological parameter constraints for a CMB-HD survey, in addition to SO and CMB-S4 (1). One focus of this work was determining the improvement in parameter constraints when removing the gravitational lensing effect from the primordial CMB (a process called delensing). This work also explored the bias to parameters from neglecting baryonic effects, and ways to mitigate that. In addition, this work highlighted that a CMB-HD N eff measurement could tightly constrain the QCD axion in a modelindependent way (see left panel of Figure 1). Sehgal also developed a novel way to probe inflation via CMB experiments by measuring inflationary magnetic fields (IMFs) (2). IMFs are thought to seed the large magnetic fields we observe in galaxies today, and can be measured by looking for anisotropic rotation of the CMB polarization vectors across the sky (an effect called cosmic birefringence). The cosmic birefringence from IMFs has a unique frequency dependence, allowing it to be separated from other sources of cosmic birefringence. In (2), Sehgal and her postdoc also presented a novel way to remove foreground contamination from Galactic magnetic fields using measurements of the polarization of nearby radio sources. The removal of this Galactic contamination is necessary when measuring IMFs at the level of 0.1 nG; IMFs with a strength of at least 0.1 nG are needed to seed the magnetic fields in galaxies we observe today. Since only inflation can generate such a strong magnetic field, measuring such a signal would be a “smoking gun” signature that inflation occurred. Sehgal showed in (2) that CMB-HD could detect such IMFs with at least 3σ significance (see right panel of Figure 1).

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Ultralight dark matter detection with levitated ferromagnets

Levitated ferromagnets act as ultraprecise magnetometers, which can exhibit high quality factors due to their excellent isolation from the environment. These instruments can be utilized in searches for ultralight dark matter candidates, such as axionlike dark matter or dark-photon dark matter. In addition to being sensitive to an axion-photon coupling or kinetic mixing, which produce physical magnetic fields, ferromagnets are also sensitive to the effective magnetic field (or “axion wind”) produced by an axion-electron coupling. While the dynamics of a levitated ferromagnet in response to a dc magnetic field have been well studied, all of these couplings would produce ac fields. In this work, we study the response of a ferromagnet to an applied ac magnetic field and use these results to project their sensitivity to axion and dark-photon dark matter. We pay special attention to the direction of motion induced by an applied ac field, in particular, whether it precesses around the applied field (similar to an electron spin) or librates in the plane of the field (similar to a compass needle). We show that existing levitated ferromagnet setups can already have comparable sensitivity to an axion-electron coupling as comagnetometer or torsion balance experiments. In addition, future setups can become sensitive probes of axion-electron coupling, dark-photon kinetic mixing, and axion-photon coupling, for ultralight dark matter masses m DM ≲ feV . Published by the American Physical Society 2024

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Maximizing quantum enhancement in axion dark matter experiments

We provide a comprehensive comparison of linear amplifiers and microwave photon counters in axion dark matter experiments. The study is done assuming a range of realistic operating conditions and detector parameters, over the frequency range between 1 and 30 GHz. As expected, photon counters are found to be advantageous under low background, at high frequencies (𝜈 >5 GHz), if they can be implemented with robust wide-frequency tuning or a very low dark count rate. Additional noteworthy observations emerging from this study include: (1) an expanded applicability of off-resonance photon background reduction, including the single-quadrature state squeezing, for scan rate enhancements; (2) a much broader appeal for operating the haloscope resonators in the overcoupling regime, up to 𝛽 ∼10; (3) the need for a detailed investigation into the cryogenic and electromagnetic conditions inside haloscope cavities to lower the photon temperature for future experiments; (4) the necessity to develop a distributed network of coupling ports in high-volume axion haloscopes to utilize these potential gains in the scan rate.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

SQMS Quantum R&D in Machine Learning, Optimization and Sensing beyond Fundamental Physics Applications

This newly formed team at SQMS under the Ecosystem Thrust is looking to develop capabilities impacting societal advances outside the core domain of HEP and condensed matter physics. We explicitly leverage the experimental and algorithmic innovations developed across all groups as well as connect to broad-scope external projects of the diverse team of PIs. As the inaugural set of projects, we are studying numerically quantum machine learning models inspired by efficiently trainable echo-state and orthogonal neural networks and developing designs for related experiments to be performed on quantum processors based on SQMS SRF cQED technology and Rigetti s transmon arrays. Investigated models exploit ideas and lessons learned from multiple prior work by SQMS team members in a variety of internal and external activities [R1]. Target initial applications include noisy signal processing, potentially captured by quantum sensors or noisy QPUs, as well as simulation and classification of healthcare data. For instance, image reconstruction of the brain s electrical properties by solving the inverse Maxwell equation problem with uncertainty [R2] through a hybrid quantum-classical physics-informed architecture for time-dependent processes [R3]. The group is also investigating the application and development of novel quantum sensors based on magnetic levitation of a superconducting sphere coupled to a superconducting qubit. This coupling enables high-precision measurements of the position of the sphere, which can be used for sensitive detection of forces, enabling practical applications such as gravimetry for geophysics analysis, or accelerometry for GPS-denied navigation [R4] [R1] Rieffel, Eleanor G., Ata Akbari Asanjan, M. Sohaib Alam, Namit Anand, David E. Bernal Neira, Sophie Block, Lucas T. Brady et al. "Assessing and advancing the potential of quantum computing: A NASA case study." Future Generation Computer Systems (2024). [R2] Yu, X., Serrall s, J.E., Giannakopoulos, I.I., Liu, Z., Daniel, L., Lattanzi, R. and Zhang, Z., 2023. Pifon-ept: Mr-based electrical property tomography using physics-informed fourier networks. IEEE Journal on Multiscale and Multiphysics Computational Techniques. [R3] Wudarski, Filip, Daniel OConnor, Shaun Geaney, Ata Akbari Asanjan, Max Wilson, Elena Strbac, P. Aaron Lott, and Davide Venturelli. "Hybrid quantum-classical reservoir computing for simulating chaotic systems." arXiv preprint arXiv:2311.14105 (2023). [R4] Higgins, Gerard, Saarik Kalia, and Zhen Liu. "Maglev for dark matter: Dark-photon and axion dark matter sensing with levitated superconductors." Physical Review D 109.5 (2024): 055024.

Venturelli, Davide↗
DOE OSTI2021

Conceptual design of BabyIAXO, the intermediate stage towards the International Axion Observatory

This article describes BabyIAXO, an intermediate experimental stage of the International Axion Observatory (IAXO), proposed to be sited at DESY. IAXO is a large-scale axion helioscope that will look for axions and axion-like particles (ALPs), produced in the Sun, with unprecedented sensitivity. BabyIAXO is conceived to test all IAXO subsystems (magnet, optics and detectors) at a relevant scale for the final system and thus serve as prototype for IAXO, but at the same time as a fully-fledged helioscope with relevant physics reach itself, and with potential for discovery. The BabyIAXO magnet will feature two 10 m long, 70 cm diameter bores, and will host two detection lines (optics and detector) of dimensions similar to the final ones foreseen for IAXO. BabyIAXO will detect or reject solar axions or ALPs with axion-photon couplings down to g aγ ~ 1 . 5 × 10 -11 GeV -1 , and masses up to m a ~ 0.25 eV. BabyIAXO will offer additional opportunities for axion research in view of IAXO, like the development of precision x-ray detectors to identify particular spectral features in the solar axion spectrum, and the implementation of radiofrequency-cavity-based axion dark matter setups.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

A new hybrid gadolinium nanoparticles-loaded polymeric material for neutron detection in rare event searches

Experiments aimed at direct searches for WIMP dark matter require highly effective reduction of backgrounds and control of any residual radioactive contamination. In particular, neutrons interacting with atomic nuclei represent an important class of backgrounds due to the expected similarity of a WIMP-nucleon interaction, so that such experiments often feature a dedicated neutron detector surrounding the active target volume. In the context of the development of DarkSide-20k detector at INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS), several R&D projects were conceived and developed for the creation of a new hybrid material rich in both hydrogen and gadolinium nuclei to be employed as an essential element of the neutron detector. Thanks to its very high cross-section for neutron capture, gadolinium is one of the most widely used elements in neutron detectors, while the hydrogen-rich material is instrumental in efficiently moderating the neutrons. In this paper results from one of the R&Ds are presented. In this effort the new hybrid material was obtained as a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix, loaded with gadolinium oxide in the form of nanoparticles. We describe its realization, including all phases of design, purification, construction, characterization, and determination of mechanical properties of the new material.

Dark Matter detectors (WIMPs, axions, etc.)↗
DOE OSTI2024

The design, implementation, and performance of the LZ calibration systems

LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a tonne-scale experiment searching for direct dark matter interactions and other rare events. It is located at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, USA. The core of the LZ detector is a dual-phase xenon time projection chamber (TPC), designed with the primary goal of detecting Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) via their induced low energy nuclear recoils. Surrounding the TPC, two veto detectors immersed in an ultra-pure water tank enable reducing background events to enhance the discovery potential. Intricate calibration systems are purposely designed to precisely understand the responses of these three detector volumes to various types of particle interactions and to demonstrate LZ's ability to discriminate between signals and backgrounds. In this paper, we present a comprehensive discussion of the key features, requirements, and performance of the LZ calibration systems, which play a crucial role in enabling LZ's WIMP-search and its broad science program. The thorough description of these calibration systems, with an emphasis on their novel aspects, is valuable for future calibration efforts in direct dark matter and other rare-event search experiments.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

First Axionlike Particle Results from a Broadband Search for Wavelike Dark Matter in the 44 to 52 μ eV Range with a Coaxial Dish Antenna

We present the results from the first axionlike particle search conducted using a dish antenna. The experiment was conducted at room temperature and sensitive to axionlike particles in the 44 – 52 μ eV range (10.7–12.5 GHz). The novel dish antenna geometry was proposed by the BREAD Collaboration and previously used to conduct a dark photon search in the same mass range. To allow for axionlike particle sensitivity, the BREAD dish antenna was placed in a 3.9 T solenoid magnet at Argonne National Laboratory. In the presence of a magnetic field, axionlike dark matter converts to photons at the conductive surface of the reflector. The signal is focused onto a custom coaxial horn antenna and read out with a low-noise radio-frequency receiver. No evidence of axionlike dark matter was observed in this mass range and we place the most stringent laboratory constraints on the axion-photon coupling strength, g a γ γ , in this mass range at 90% confidence.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

First Axionlike Particle Results from a Broadband Search for Wavelike Dark Matter in the 44 to 52 μ ⁢eV Range with a Coaxial Dish Antenna

We present the results from the first axionlike particle search conducted using a dish antenna. The experiment was conducted at room temperature and sensitive to axionlike particles in the 44–52 μ ⁢eV range (10.7–12.5 GHz). The novel dish antenna geometry was proposed by the BREAD Collaboration and previously used to conduct a dark photon search in the same mass range. To allow for axionlike particle sensitivity, the BREAD dish antenna was placed in a 3.9 T solenoid magnet at Argonne National Laboratory. In the presence of a magnetic field, axionlike dark matter converts to photons at the conductive surface of the reflector. The signal is focused onto a custom coaxial horn antenna and read out with a low-noise radio-frequency receiver. No evidence of axionlike dark matter was observed in this mass range and we place the most stringent laboratory constraints on the axion-photon coupling strength, 𝑔 𝑎⁢𝛾⁢𝛾 , in this mass range at 90% confidence.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Search for Axion Dark Matter from 1.1 to 1.3 GHz with ADMX

Axion dark matter can satisfy the conditions needed to account for all of the dark matter and solve the strong 𝐶⁢𝑃 problem. The Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX) is a direct dark matter search using a haloscope to convert axions to photons in an external magnetic field. Key to this conversion is the use of a microwave resonator that enhances the sensitivity at the frequency of interest. The ADMX experiment boosts its sensitivity using a dilution refrigerator and near quantum-limited amplifier to reduce the noise level in the experimental apparatus. In the most recent run, ADMX searched for axions between 1.10 and 1.31 GHz to extended Kim-Shifman-Vainshtein-Zakharov sensitivity. This Letter reports on the results of that run, as well as unique aspects of this experimental setup.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Improved receiver noise calibration for ADMX axion search: 4.54 to 5.41 μeV

Axions are a well-motivated candidate for dark matter. The preeminent method to search for axion dark matter is known as the axion haloscope, which makes use of the conversion of axions to photons in a large magnetic field. Because of the weak coupling of axions to photons, however, the expected signal strength is exceptionally small. To increase signal strength, many haloscopes make use of resonant enhancement and high gain amplifiers, while also taking measures to keep receiver noise as low as possible such as the use of dilution refrigerators and ultra-low-noise electronics. In this paper, we derive the theoretical noise model based on the sources of noise found within a typical axion haloscope receiver chain, using the Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX) as a case study. We present examples of different noise calibration measurements at 1280 MHz taken during ADMX’s most recent data-taking run. These new results shed light on a previously unidentified interaction between the cavity and Josephson Parametric Amplifier as well as provide a better understanding of the systematic uncertainty on the system noise temperature used in the axion search analysis for this data-taking run. Finally, the consistency between the measurements and the detailed model provide suggestions for future improvements within ADMX and other axion haloscopes to reach a lower noise temperature.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Projected sensitivities of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment to new physics via low-energy electron recoils

LUX-ZEPLIN is a dark matter detector expected to obtain world-leading sensitivity to weakly-interacting massive particles interacting via nuclear recoils with a ∼7-tonne xenon target mass. This paper presents sensitivity projections to several low-energy signals of the complementary electron recoil signal type: 1) an effective neutrino magnetic moment, and 2) an effective neutrino millicharge, both for 𝑝⁢𝑝-chain solar neutrinos, 3) an axion flux generated by the Sun, 4) axionlike particles forming the Galactic dark matter, 5) hidden photons, 6) mirror dark matter, and 7) leptophilic dark matter. World-leading sensitivities are expected in each case, a result of the large 5.6 t 1000 d exposure and low expected rate of electron-recoil backgrounds in the <100 keV energy regime. A consistent signal generation, background model and profile-likelihood analysis framework is used throughout.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Electromagnetic modeling and science reach of DMRadio-m 3

DMRadio-m 3 is an experimental search for dark matter axions. It uses a solenoidal dc magnetic field to convert an axion dark-matter signal to an ac electromagnetic response in a coaxial copper pickup. The current induced by this axion signal is measured by dc SQUIDs. DMRadio-m 3 is designed to be sensitive to Kim-Shifman-Vainshtein-Zakharov (KSVZ) and Dine-Fischler-Srednicki-Zhitnisky (DFSZ) QCD axion models in the 10–200 MHz (41 neV/𝑐 2 –0.83 μ⁢eV/𝑐 2 ) range, and to axions with 𝑔 𝑎⁢𝛾⁢𝛾 =𝑔 𝑎⁢𝛾⁢𝛾,DFSZ ⁡(30 MHz) =1.87 ×10 −17 GeV −1 over 5–30 MHz as an extended goal. In this work, we present the electromagnetic modeling of the response of the experiment to an axion signal over the full frequency range of DMRadio-m 3 , which extends from the low-frequency, lumped-element limit to a regime where the axion Compton wavelength is only a factor of 2 larger than the detector size. With these results, we determine the live time and sensitivity of the experiment. The primary science goal of sensitivity to DFSZ axions across 30–200 MHz can be achieved with a 3⁢𝜎 live scan time of 2.9 years.

Dark matter direct detection↗