Research alert: High-helicity microwave resonators open door to greater sensitivity in dark matter search

A new approach to searching for ultralight axion dark matter using high-helicity microwave resonators enables more sensitive searches than existing methods.

In a new study, University of Western Australia researchers, Robert Crew, Emma Paterson, Maxim Goryachev, Eugene Ivanov, Pashupati Dhakal, Tugrul Talha Ersoz, Michael Tobar and Jeremy Bourhill explored whether the new type of resonator could provide a more sensitive way to search for ultralight axion dark matter.

The team used computer optimisation and electromagnetic simulations to design superconducting microwave cavities for axion detection. They modelled a low-noise microwave readout system to determine the sensitivity that could be achieved in a real experiment.

The study found that the optimised superconducting design could significantly improve on previous cavity designs and potentially search previously unexplored regions for ultralight axion dark matter.

The research was titled UPLOAD-HELIX: A High-Helicity Single-Mode Microwave Haloscope with Low-Noise Interferometric Readout for Ultralight Axion Dark Matter and published in Universe journal.

The team will now manufacture and experimentally test the optimised cavities and implement the proposed measurement system with the aim of using it to perform a search for ultralight axion dark matter.