학술논문

A Ramsey Neutron-Beam Experiment to Search for Ultralight Axion Dark Matter at the ESS
Document Type
Working Paper
Source
Subject
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
Nuclear Experiment
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Language
Abstract
High-intensity neutron beams, such as those available at the European Spallation Source (ESS), provide new opportunities for fundamental discoveries. Here we discuss a novel Ramsey neutron-beam experiment to search for ultralight axion dark matter through its coupling to neutron spins, which would cause the neutron spins to rotate about the velocity of the neutrons relative to the dark matter halo. We estimate that experiments at the HIBEAM beamline at the ESS can improve the sensitivity to the axion-neutron coupling compared to the current best laboratory limits by up to $2-3$ orders of magnitude over the axion mass range $10^{-22} \, \textrm{eV} - 10^{-16}$ eV.
Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures