Search for Axionlike Dark Matter with a Liquid-State Nuclear Spin Comagnetometer

Area of Science:

• Particle Physics
• Cosmology
• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Background:

• Axionlike particles are hypothetical dark matter candidates.
• Distinguishing axion signals from background magnetic fields is challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To search for axionlike dark matter using NMR.
• To constrain the parameter space of axionlike dark matter couplings.

Main Methods:

• Employed a comagnetometry scheme with two nuclei (¹³C and ¹H).
• Measured ultralow-field NMR signals in acetonitrile-2-¹³C.
• Utilized nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques.

Main Results:

• No axionlike dark matter signal was detected above background.
• Constrained the coupling of axionlike dark matter field gradients to nucleons (g_aNN < 6x10⁻⁵ GeV⁻¹).
• Improved laboratory limits for particle masses below 10⁻²¹ eV.

Conclusions:

• The experiment sets stringent limits on axionlike dark matter properties.
• Results improve upon previous laboratory and astrophysical constraints.
• The study advances the search for dark matter candidates.