Search for hidden sector photons with the ADMX detector

Area of Science:

• Particle Physics
• Cosmology
• Astroparticle Physics

Background:

• Extensions of the Standard Model often include hidden U(1) gauge symmetries to explain dark matter.
• Hidden gauge vector bosons may kinetically mix with Standard Model photons, enabling electromagnetic signal propagation through barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To search for hidden vector bosons using a cavity detector.
• To constrain the kinetic mixing parameter (χ) for hidden vector bosons within a specific mass range.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Axion Dark Matter Experiment (ADMX) detector.
• Employed an emitter cavity driven by microwave power to generate potential hidden vector bosons.
• Searched for signals of these bosons interacting with the detector.

Main Results:

• Excluded hidden vector bosons with kinetic couplings χ > 3.48×10⁻⁸ for masses below 3 μeV.
• Achieved an improvement of over 2 orders of magnitude in sensitivity compared to previous cavity experiments.

Conclusions:

• The experiment sets new, stringent limits on the properties of hidden vector bosons.
• This work advances the search for dark matter candidates beyond the Standard Model.