DOE OSTI2024
One of the areas of research of the Superconducting Quantum Systems and Materials (SQMS) center is the application of quantum sensing to fundamental physics searches, demonstrating that quantum sensors can greatly improve the sensitivity of experiments searching for Beyond the Standard Model (BSM) physics, or performing high-precision measurements. Theorists have developed many ideas for BSM physics that would result in interactions that can in principle be detected, but with signals small enough that they haven t been observed yet. In this field, the capability to lower the detector s thermal noise to few or dozens of mK, and to use QIS technologies such as Josephson Parametric Amplifiers and photon counters (in-situ or itinerant) enable us to reach unprecedented sensitivities and faster scan rates. Here is presented an overview of the quantum sensing efforts at SQMS [1], focusing on theoretical advancements and experimental searches for Dark Sector particles (as dark matter candidates and not), gravitational waves, and precision measurements. The experiments conducted, or under preparation, include axion dark matter (DM) [2, 3], dark photon DM searches [4,5], light-shining-through-wall experiments [6], cavity-based searches for high frequency gravitational waves [7], and measurements of the electron magnetic moment [8]. [1] Berlin, A., et al. "Searches for new particles, dark matter, and gravitational waves with SRF cavities." arXiv preprint arXiv:2203.12714 (2022). [2] Giaccone, B., et al. "Design of axion and axion dark matter searches based on ultra high Q SRF cavities." arXiv preprint arXiv:2207.11346 (2022). [3] Braggio, C., et al. "Quantum-enhanced sensing of axion dark matter with a transmon-based single microwave photon counter." arXiv preprint arXiv:2403.02321 (2024). [4] Fan, X., et al. "One-electron quantum cyclotron as a milli-eV dark-photon detector." Physical review letters 129.26 (2022): 261801. [5] Cervantes, R., et al. "Deepest sensitivity to wavelike dark photon dark matter with superconducting radio frequency cavities." Physical Review D 110.4 (2024): 043022. [6] Romanenko, A., et al. "Search for dark photons with superconducting radio frequency cavities." Physical review letters 130.26 (2023): 261801. [7] Berlin, A., et al. "Electromagnetic cavities as mechanical bars for gravitational waves." Physical Review D 108.8 (2023): 084058. [8] Fan, X., et al. "Measurement of the electron magnetic moment." Physical review letters 130.7 (2023): 071801.