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Searching for dark matter with a spin-based interferometer

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Gavilan-Martin

    (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
    Helmholtz Institute Mainz
    GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)

  • Grzegorz Łukasiewicz

    (Jagiellonian University in Kraków
    Jagiellonian University in Kraków)

  • Mikhail Padniuk

    (Jagiellonian University in Kraków)

  • Emmanuel Klinger

    (Université de Franche-Comté)

  • Magdalena Smolis

    (Jagiellonian University in Kraków)

  • Nataniel L. Figueroa

    (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
    Helmholtz Institute Mainz)

  • Derek F. Jackson Kimball

    (California State University—East Bay)

  • Alexander O. Sushkov

    (Boston University
    Boston University
    Boston University
    The Johns Hopkins University)

  • Szymon Pustelny

    (Jagiellonian University in Kraków)

  • Dmitry Budker

    (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
    Helmholtz Institute Mainz
    GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH
    University of California)

  • Arne Wickenbrock

    (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
    Helmholtz Institute Mainz
    GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)

Abstract

Axion-like particles (ALPs) arise from well-motivated extensions to the Standard Model and could account for dark matter. ALP dark matter would manifest as a field oscillating at an (as of yet) unknown frequency. The frequency depends linearly on the ALP mass and plausibly ranges from 10−22 to 10 eV/c2. This motivates broadband search approaches. We report on a direct search for ALP dark matter with an interferometer composed of two atomic K-Rb-3He comagnetometers, one situated in Mainz, Germany, and the other in Kraków, Poland. We leverage the anticipated spatio-temporal coherence properties of the ALP field and probe all ALP-gradient-spin interactions covering a mass range of nine orders of magnitude. No significant evidence of an ALP signal is found. We thus place new upper limits on the ALP-neutron, ALP-proton and ALP-electron couplings reaching below gaNN

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Gavilan-Martin & Grzegorz Łukasiewicz & Mikhail Padniuk & Emmanuel Klinger & Magdalena Smolis & Nataniel L. Figueroa & Derek F. Jackson Kimball & Alexander O. Sushkov & Szymon Pustelny & Dmitry, 2025. "Searching for dark matter with a spin-based interferometer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60178-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60178-6
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