Particle Physics Seminar: Searching for ALP Dark Matter Using a System of Hot Vapor Magnetometers

Abstract:

The Axion Like Particles (ALPs) are among the leading candidates for Dark Matter (DM). In my thesis, I develop a new framework for a Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping (SEOP) experiment including a two cell magnetic subtraction scheme which allows suppression of common magnetic noise, improving the system's sensitivity to DM by up to two orders of magnitude. I then show the first results from a magnetometer system I built which demonstrates the feasibility of this approach.

Finally, I describe a complementary search our group performed for the Dark Photon, which also used magnetic noise canceling and led to improvements of two to three orders of magnitude in the mixing parameter of the photon-dark photon in the frequency regime checked.

Seminar Organizer: Dr. Michael Geller