Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

Ben T. McAllister

Publications and source records attributed to Ben T. McAllister.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2019

Novel approaches to dark-matter detection using space-time separated clocks

We discuss the theoretical analysis and interpretation of space-time separated clock experiments in the context of a space-time varying scalar field that is non-universally coupled to the standard model fields. If massive, such a field is a candidate for dark matter and could be detected in laboratory experiments. We show that space-time separated experiments have the potential to probe a fundamentally different parameter space from more common co-located experiments, allowing decorrelation of previously necessarily correlated parameters. Finally, we describe such a space-time separated clock experiment currently running at the Paris Observatory, and present some preliminary results as a proof of principle.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2019

Modified Axion Electrodynamics as Impressed Electromagnetic Sources Through Oscillating Background Polarization and Magnetization

We present a reformulation of axion modified electrodynamics with all modifications redefined within the constitutive relations between the D,H,B and E fields. This allows the interpretation of the axion induced background bound charge, polarization current and background polarization and magnetization satisfying the charge-current continuity equation. This representation is of similar form to photon sector odd-parity Lorentz invariance violating background fields. We show that when a DC B-field is applied an oscillating background polarization is induced at a frequency equivalent to the axion mass. In contrast, when DC E-field is applied, an oscillating background magnetization is induced at a frequency equivalent to the axion mass. We show that these terms are equivalent to impressed source terms, analogous to the way that voltage and current sources are impressed into Maxwell's equations in circuit and antenna theory. The impressed source terms represent the conversion of external energy into electromagnetic energy, and in the case of axion modified electrodynamics this is due to the inverse Primakoff effect converting energy from axions into photons. The axion induced oscillating polarization under a DC magnetic field is analogous to a permanent polarised electret oscillating at the axion Compton frequency, which sources an electromotive force from an effective impressed magnetic current source. In particular, it is shown that the impressed electrical DC current that drives the solenoidal magnetic DC field of an electromagnet, induces an impressed magnetic current parallel to the DC electrical current, oscillating at the Compton frequency of the axion. We show that the magnetic current drives a voltage source through an electric vector potential and also defines the boundary condition of the oscillating axion induced polarization inside and outside the electromagnet.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2019

Cross-correlation measurement techniques for cavity-based axion and weakly interacting slim particle searches

The search for dark matter is of fundamental importance to our understanding of the universe. Weakly-Interacting Slim Particles (WISPs) such as axions and hidden sector photons (HSPs) are well motivated candidates for the dark matter. Some of the most sensitive and mature experiments to detect WISPs rely on microwave cavities, and the detection of weak photon signals. It is often suggested to power combine multiple cavities, which creates a host of technical concerns. We outline a scheme based on cross-correlation for effectively power combining cavities and increasing the signal-to-noise ratio of a candidate WISP signal.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2018

Higher Order Reentrant Post Modes in Cylindrical Cavities

Reentrant cavities are microwave resonant devices employed in a number of different areas of physics. They are appealing due to their simple frequency tuning mechanism, which offers large tuning ranges. Reentrant cavities are, in essence, 3D lumped LC circuits consisting of a conducting central post embedded in a resonant cavity. The lowest order reentrant mode (which transforms from the $TM_{010}$ mode) has been extensively studied in past publications. In this work we show the existence of higher order reentrant post modes (which transform from the $TM_{01n}$ mode family). We characterize these new modes in terms of their frequency tuning, filling factors and quality factors, as well as discuss some possible applications of these modes in fundamental physics tests. The appendix contains a comment on a paper related to this work.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2018

Broadband Axion Dark Matter Haloscopes via Electric Sensing

The mass of axion dark matter is only weakly bounded by cosmological observations, necessitating a variety of detection techniques over several orders of magnitude of mass ranges. Axions haloscopes based on resonant cavities have become the current standard to search for dark matter axions. Such structures are inherently narrowband and for low masses the volume of the required cavity becomes prohibitively large. Broadband low-mass detectors have already been proposed using inductive magnetometer sensors and a gapped toroidal solenoid magnet. In this work we propose an alternative, which uses electric sensors in a conventional solenoidal magnet aligned in the laboratory z-axis, as implemented in standard haloscope experiments. In the presence of the DC magnetic field, the inverse Primakoff effect causes a time varying permanent electric vacuum polarization in the z-direction to oscillate at the axion Compton frequency, which induces an oscillating electromotive force. We propose non-resonant techniques to detect this oscillating elctromotive force by implementing a capacitive sensor or an electric dipole antenna coupled to a low noise amplifier. We present the first experimental results and discuss the foundations and potential of this proposal. Preliminary results constrain $g_{aγγ} >\sim2.35\times10^{-12}$ $\text{GeV}^{-1}$ in the mass range of $2.08\times10^{-11}$ to $2.2\times10^{-11}$ eV, and demonstrate potential sensitivity to axion-like dark matter with masses in the range of $10^{-12}$ to $10^{-8}$ eV.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2018

Tunable Super-Mode Dielectric Resonators for Axion Haloscopes

We present frequency tuning mechanisms for dielectric resonators, which undergo "super-mode" interactions as they tune. The tunable schemes are based on dielectric materials strategically placed inside traditional cylindrical resonant cavities, necessarily operating in Transverse Magnetic modes for use in axion haloscopes. The first technique is based on multiple dielectric disks with radii smaller than that of the cavity. The second scheme relies on hollow dielectric cylinders similar to a Bragg resonator, but of different location and dimension. In particular we engineer a significant increase in form factor for the TM030 mode utilising a variation of a Distributed Bragg Reflector Resonator. Additionally, we demonstrate application of traditional Distributed Bragg Reflectors in TM modes, which may be applied to a haloscope. This is the first demonstration of Bragg resonators applied to TM modes, as well as the first application of super-modes to tune Bragg resonators, or haloscope resonators. Theory and experimental results are presented showing an increase in Q-factor and tunability due to the super-mode effect. The TM030 ring resonator mode offers between 1 and 2-orders-of-magnitude improvement in axion sensitivity over current conventional cavity systems and will be employed in the forthcoming ORGAN experiment.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2017

The ORGAN Experiment: An axion haloscope above 15 GHz

We present first results and future plans for the Oscillating Resonant Group AxioN (ORGAN) experiment, a microwave cavity axion haloscope situated in Perth, Western Australia designed to probe for high mass axions motivated by several theoretical models. The first stage focuses around 26.6 GHz in order to directly test a claimed result, which suggests axions exist at the corresponding mass of $110~μ$eV. Later stages will move to a wider scan range of 15-50 GHz ($60-210~μ$eV). We present the results of the pathfinding run, which sets a limit on $g_{aγγ}$ of $2.02\times 10^{-12} $eV$^{-1}$ at 26.531 GHz, or 110~$μ$eV, in a span of 2.5 neV (shaped by the Lorentzian resonance) with $90 \%$ confidence. Furthermore, we outline the current design and future strategies to eventually attain the sensitivity to search for well known axion models over the wider mass range.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2017

Axion Detection with Cavity Arrays

Using eigenmode analysis and full 3D FEM modelling, we demonstrate that a closed cavity built of an array of elementary harmonic oscillators with negative mutual couplings exhibits a dispersion curve with lower order modes corresponding to higher frequencies. Such cavity arrays may help to achieve large mode volumes for boosting sensitivity of the axion searches, where the mode volume for the composed array scales proportional to the number of elements, but the frequency remains constant. The negatively coupled cavity array is demonstrated with magnetically coupling coils, where the sign of next-neighbour coupling (controlled with their chirality) sets the dispersion curve properties of the resonator array medium. Furthermore, we show that similar effects can be achieved using only positively coupled cavities of different frequencies assembled in periodic cells. This principle is demonstrated for the multi-post re-entrant system, which can be realised with an array of straight metallic rods organised in chiral structures.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2016

High and low mass Axion Haloscopes at UWA

We consider the design of a haloscope experiment (ORGAN) to probe for axions at 26.6 GHz. The motivation for this search is to perform the first direct test of a result which claims a possible axion signal at this frequency. There are many technical issues and optimisations that must be considered in the design of a high mass axion haloscope. We discuss the current status of the ORGAN experiment, as well as its future. We also discuss low mass axion haloscopes employing lumped 3D LC resonators.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2016

3D Lumped LC Resonators as Low Mass Axion Haloscopes

The axion is a hypothetical particle considered to be the most economical solution to the strong CP problem. It can also be formulated as a compelling component of dark matter. The haloscope, a leading axion detection scheme, relies on the conversion of galactic halo axions into real photons inside a resonant cavity structure in the presence of a static magnetic field, where the generated photon frequency corresponds to the mass of the axion. For maximum sensitivity it is key that the central frequency of the cavity mode structure coincides with the frequency of the generated photon. As the mass of the axion is unknown, it is necessary to perform searches over a wide range of frequencies. Currently there are substantial regions of the promising pre-inflationary low mass axion range without any viable proposals for experimental searches. We show that 3D resonant LC circuits with separated magnetic and electric fields, commonly known as re-entrant cavities, can be sensitive dark matter haloscopes in this region, with frequencies inherently lower than those achievable in the equivalent size of empty resonant cavity. We calculate the sensitivity and accessible axion mass range of these experiments, designing geometries to exploit and maximize the separated magnetic and electric coupling of the axion to the cavity mode.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2016

Axion Dark Matter Coupling to Resonant Photons via Magnetic Field

We show that the magnetic component of the photon field produced by dark matter axions via the two-photon coupling mechanism in a Sikivie Haloscope is an important parameter passed over in previous analysis and experiments. The interaction of the produced photons will be resonantly enhanced as long as they couple to the electric or magnetic mode structure of the Haloscope cavity. For typical Haloscope experiments the electric and magnetic coupling is the same and implicitly assumed in past sensitivity calculations. However, for future planned searches such as those at high frequency, which synchronize multiple cavities, the sensitivity will be altered due to different magnetic and electric couplings. We define the complete electromagnetic form factor and discuss its implications for current and future high and low mass axion searches, including some effects which have been overlooked, due to the assumption that the two couplings are the same.

hep-ph↗