Searching for Dark Matter Axions via Atomic Excitations
Axions can be considered as good dark matter candidates. The detection of such light particles can be achieved by observing axion-induced atomic excitations. The target is in a magnetic field so that the <i>m</i>-degeneracy is removed, and the energy levels can be suitably adjusted. Usin...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Particles |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-712X/7/1/6 |
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| author | J. D. Vergados S. Cohen F. T. Avignone R. Creswick |
| author_facet | J. D. Vergados S. Cohen F. T. Avignone R. Creswick |
| author_sort | J. D. Vergados |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Axions can be considered as good dark matter candidates. The detection of such light particles can be achieved by observing axion-induced atomic excitations. The target is in a magnetic field so that the <i>m</i>-degeneracy is removed, and the energy levels can be suitably adjusted. Using an axion-electron coupling indicated by the limit obtained by the Borexino experiment, which is quite stringent, reasonable axion absorption rates have been obtained for various atomic targets The obtained results depend, of course, on the atom considered through the parameters <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>ϵ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the spin−orbit splitting) as well as <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>δ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> ( the energy splitting due to the magnetic moment interaction). This assumption allows axion masses in the tens of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>μ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>eV if the transition occurs between members of the same multiplet, i.e., <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mrow><mo>|</mo></mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mo>,</mo><msub><mi>M</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mrow><mo>⟩</mo><mo>→</mo><mo>|</mo></mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mo>,</mo><msub><mi>M</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mrow><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>⟩</mo><mo>,</mo></mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mo>≠</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, and axion masses in the range 1 meV–1 eV for transitions of the spin−orbit splitting type <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mrow><mo>|</mo></mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mo>,</mo><mi>M</mi><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mrow><mo>⟩</mo><mo>→</mo><mo>|</mo></mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>2</mn></msub><mo>,</mo><msub><mi>M</mi><mn>2</mn></msub><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mrow><mo>+</mo><mi>q</mi><mo>⟩</mo><mo>,</mo><mi>q</mi><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>,</mo><mn>0</mn><mo>,</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, i.e., three types of transition. The axion mass that can be detected is very close to the excitation energy involved, which can vary by adjusting the magnetic field. Furthermore, since the axion is absorbed by the atom, the calculated cross-section exhibits the behavior of a resonance, which can be exploited by experiments to minimize any background events. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
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| language | English |
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| spelling | doaj.art-b214efa9514a4baebbd50acf1fd9b1fd2024-03-27T13:58:44ZengMDPI AGParticles2571-712X2024-01-01719612010.3390/particles7010006Searching for Dark Matter Axions via Atomic ExcitationsJ. D. Vergados0S. Cohen1F. T. Avignone2R. Creswick3Department of Physics, School of Sciences, University of Ioannina, GR 451 10 Ioannina, GreeceDepartment of Physics, School of Sciences, University of Ioannina, GR 451 10 Ioannina, GreeceDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USAAxions can be considered as good dark matter candidates. The detection of such light particles can be achieved by observing axion-induced atomic excitations. The target is in a magnetic field so that the <i>m</i>-degeneracy is removed, and the energy levels can be suitably adjusted. Using an axion-electron coupling indicated by the limit obtained by the Borexino experiment, which is quite stringent, reasonable axion absorption rates have been obtained for various atomic targets The obtained results depend, of course, on the atom considered through the parameters <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>ϵ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the spin−orbit splitting) as well as <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>δ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> ( the energy splitting due to the magnetic moment interaction). This assumption allows axion masses in the tens of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>μ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>eV if the transition occurs between members of the same multiplet, i.e., <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mrow><mo>|</mo></mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mo>,</mo><msub><mi>M</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mrow><mo>⟩</mo><mo>→</mo><mo>|</mo></mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mo>,</mo><msub><mi>M</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mrow><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mi>J</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>⟩</mo><mo>,</mo></mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mo>≠</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, and axion masses in the range 1 meV–1 eV for transitions of the spin−orbit splitting type <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mrow><mo>|</mo></mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mo>,</mo><mi>M</mi><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mrow><mo>⟩</mo><mo>→</mo><mo>|</mo></mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>2</mn></msub><mo>,</mo><msub><mi>M</mi><mn>2</mn></msub><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn>1</mn></msub><mrow><mo>+</mo><mi>q</mi><mo>⟩</mo><mo>,</mo><mi>q</mi><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>,</mo><mn>0</mn><mo>,</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, i.e., three types of transition. The axion mass that can be detected is very close to the excitation energy involved, which can vary by adjusting the magnetic field. Furthermore, since the axion is absorbed by the atom, the calculated cross-section exhibits the behavior of a resonance, which can be exploited by experiments to minimize any background events.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-712X/7/1/6axion detectionaxion dark matteratomic excitationsmagnetic field induced level splittingmagnetic moment matrix elementnarrow resonances |
| spellingShingle | J. D. Vergados S. Cohen F. T. Avignone R. Creswick Searching for Dark Matter Axions via Atomic Excitations Particles axion detection axion dark matter atomic excitations magnetic field induced level splitting magnetic moment matrix element narrow resonances |
| title | Searching for Dark Matter Axions via Atomic Excitations |
| title_full | Searching for Dark Matter Axions via Atomic Excitations |
| title_fullStr | Searching for Dark Matter Axions via Atomic Excitations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Searching for Dark Matter Axions via Atomic Excitations |
| title_short | Searching for Dark Matter Axions via Atomic Excitations |
| title_sort | searching for dark matter axions via atomic excitations |
| topic | axion detection axion dark matter atomic excitations magnetic field induced level splitting magnetic moment matrix element narrow resonances |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-712X/7/1/6 |
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