Search for Dark Matter Axions with Tunable TM_{020} Mode

Area of Science:

• Particle Physics
• Cosmology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Axions are hypothetical particles proposed to solve the strong CP problem and explain dark matter.
• Cavity haloscopes are sensitive instruments for detecting axions, but their efficiency decreases with increasing search mass due to reduced cavity volume.
• Higher-order resonant modes offer potential for larger experimental volumes but are difficult to tune effectively over wide bandwidths.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce an innovative tuning method for higher-order resonant modes in cavity haloscopes.
• To enable more sensitive dark matter axion searches at higher frequencies.
• To overcome the limitations of traditional tuning methods for higher-order modes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized auxetic materials, which exhibit unique tunable properties, to develop a novel tuning mechanism.
• Applied this tuning method to the TM_{020} mode within a cavity haloscope.
• Conducted a dark matter axion search within the 21.38 to 21.79 μeV mass range.

Main Results:

• Successfully tuned the TM_{020} mode using auxetic materials, maintaining a high form factor.
• Established new exclusion limits for axion-photon coupling, exceeding approximately 10^{-13} GeV^{-1}.
• Demonstrated the practical applicability of higher-order modes for future cavity haloscope experiments.

Conclusions:

• The auxetic material-based tuning method is effective for utilizing higher-order modes in cavity haloscopes.
• This advancement significantly improves the potential for detecting axion dark matter.
• The findings pave the way for more sensitive searches across a broader range of axion masses.