Dark matter detection probe

• Subject Area: Particles, Nuclei and Fields
• Term: Funded in 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 458714410

The existence of dark matter and its composition is one of the most intriguing mysteries of modern physics. Although astronomical and cosmological evidence for dark matter exists from multiple sources, its interactions, gravity aside, remain undetected. Light-pseudoscalar bosons, motivated in various extensions of the Standard Model are viable candidates for dark matter. Among them, axion-like particles (ALP) interact with standard model particles via different portals, for example, they act on nuclear spins via a so called gradient coupling. If dark matter in the galaxy is composed of light pseudoscalar bosons, the field can be described as a classical oscillation at the Compton frequency, i.e. the frequency is proportional to the mass of the ALP. This way, dark matter acts on the nuclear spins as an oscillating magnetic field. The custom-made NMR probe head will be capable to search for ALP dark matter in a frequency range from 70 MHz to 600 MHz with maximal (spin-projection-noise limited) sensitivity when placed in a tunable magnetic field of up to 14.1 T. This magnet is not part of this Großgerät proposal. The dark matter signature is similar to an oscillating magnetic field, so that actual electromagnetic fields present in the laboratory need to be suppressed via magnetic shielding, which is part of the requested device.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Spezialgefertigter NMR-Kryo-Probenkopf
• Instrumentation Group: 1740 Hochauflösende NMR-Spektrometer
• Applicant Institution: Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
• Leader: Professor Dr. Dmitry Budker, Ph.D.