Multi-tesla operation of high-temperature superconducting cavities for accelerated axion dark matter searches

Abstract

Axion haloscopes use radio-frequency cavities immersed in a magnetic field to search for dark-matter axions, which could resolve two central puzzles in fundamental physics: the strong charge-parity problem in quantum chromodynamics and the nature of dark matter. Multi-tesla fields trigger axion-to-photon conversion but induce severe vortex dissipation in standard superconductors, whereas copper cavities are limited by the anomalous skin effect ($Q \lesssim 10^5$). Here, we overcome these barriers by introducing a pole-to-pole 3-dimensional cavity architecture constructed from strain-controlled, mechanically delaminated rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) tapes. By selectively stripping the lossy metallic substrate while utilizing the copper stabilizer as a "conductive backing" we convert the longitudinal assembly gaps into waveguides below cutoff, effectively suppressing cross-seam RF leakage. Employing a two-track strategy, we first unveiled the intrinsic high-field potential of the material with a 5.4 GHz resonant cavity, achieving an unloaded quality-factor ($Q_0$) of $1.4 \times 10^7$ in an 8 T magnetic field, exceeding conventional copper baselines by two orders of magnitude. Second, prioritizing practical haloscope integration, we engineered a tunable, volume-maximized 2.3 GHz pathfinder cavity. Deployed in the Pilot Axion Cavity Experiment at the Center for Axion and Precision Physics Research (CAPP-PACE), this system achieved a 180 mK noise temperature and a 5-fold $Q$ enhancement over copper, cumulatively delivering a $\sim$8.4-fold scan-rate acceleration.