A spin-mechanical quantum chip for exploring exotic interactions.

Area of Science:

• Fundamental Physics
• Particle Physics
• Quantum Technologies

Background:

• The search for dark matter, a major unsolved problem in fundamental science, often involves exploring interactions beyond the Standard Model.
• Previous experiments using lab-scale and tabletop setups have not detected such exotic interactions, highlighting the need for more sensitive detection methods.
• Improving experimental sensitivity is crucial but challenging for dark matter particle searches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate a novel spin-mechanical quantum chip for enhanced dark matter detection.
• To explore exotic spin-velocity-dependent interactions beyond the Standard Model.
• To establish a scalable platform for on-chip fundamental physics experiments.

Main Methods:

• Conception and realization of a spin-mechanical quantum chip integrating a mechanical resonator and a single nitrogen-vacancy diamond at the microscale.
• Utilizing the prototype chip to set constraints on spin-velocity-dependent interactions.
• Leveraging scalable on-chip detectors for improved sensitivity.

Main Results:

• Improved constraints on spin-velocity-dependent interactions by two orders of magnitude.
• No evidence found for new bosons in the force range below 100 nanometers (2-10 electronvolts rest-mass window).
• Demonstrated the potential for a proof-of-principle experiment.

Conclusions:

• The developed quantum chip offers a promising, scalable platform for searching for exotic interactions with preeminent sensitivity.
• Chip-scale setups can accelerate dark matter exploration due to their low cost and high yield.
• This approach paves the way for future on-chip fundamental physics experiments.