The event will start with Benito Gimeno Martínez (IFIC, Valencia) and Alejandro Díaz Morcillo (Technical U. Cartagena, Murcia) talling us about:
Recent advances in the search of dark mattter axions and high frequency gravitational waves based on microwave haloscopes: the collaboration Cartagena-Valencia
In this seminar we are going to present the activities developed during the last ten years by two spanish research groups (located in Cartagena and Valencia) for the exploration of both dark mattter axions and high frequency gravitational waves. We have focused our effort in the analysis, design, fabrication and measurement of several haloscopes constructed with different kind of microwave and millimeter-wave resonators. Different techniques have been used for such purpose, highlighting the combination of conventional and advanced electromagnetic advanced methods. We will show our contributions in different international projects collaborations as RADES, FLASH or CADEX. Moreover, interesting concepts from other experiments will also be presented.
Then, Igor García Irastorza (CAPA, U. Zaragoza) will tell us about
Quantum sensing for axion dark matter detection with RADES: the DarkQuantum project
Axions are among the most compelling candidates for dark matter, motivated both by their role in solving the strong CP problem and by well-defined cosmological production mechanisms. Axion haloscopes, which search for the resonant conversion of dark matter axions into microwave photons in strong magnetic fields, have achieved remarkable progress, but are increasingly limited by detector noise and fundamental quantum measurement bounds.
DarkQuantum is an ERC Synergy project that aims to overcome these limitations by integrating quantum sensing techniques into the RADES axion haloscope program, as well as exploiting various other recent developments and scientific opportunities. The project pursues a coordinated strategy covering two complementary frequency regimes. The low-frequency branch targets axion masses in the 1 to 2 microelectronvolt range, using large-volume cavities eventually to be operated in the future BabyIAXO magnet. A first low-frequency prototype, already under construction, is expected to take data in the near term at CERN in the M1 magnet. The high-frequency branch focuses on the 8 to 18 gigahertz range, where sensitivity is pursued through innovative tuning mechanism combined with novel quantum sensors.
DarkQuantum explores both quantum-limited linear amplification, based on SQUID technologies, for the low frequency setup, and more radical approaches such as qubit-based single-photon detection, which can evade the standard quantum limit, for the high-frequency setup. Additional developments include magnetic-field-resilient superconducting circuits, ultra-cryogenic operation, and alternative tuning concepts based on magnonics. Underground operation and low-background techniques are also being investigated as a way to control spurious noise sources affecting quantum devices.
In this seminar, I will present the RADES experimental program, the structure and roadmap of the DarkQuantum ERC Synergy project, and the prospects opened by quantum-enhanced haloscopes for extending axion dark matter searches into previously inaccessible parameter space.