The Rydberg-Atom-Cavity Axion Search

Abstract

We report on the present progress in development of the dark matter axion search experiment with Rydberg-atom-cavity detectors in Kyoto, CARRACK I and CARRACK II. The axion search has been performed with CARRACK I in the 8 % mass range around $10\mu \mathrm{eV}$, and CARRACK II is now ready for the search in the wide range $2\mu \mathrm{eV}-50\mu \mathrm{eV}$. We have also developed quantum theoretical calculations on the axion-photon-atom system in the resonant cavity in order to estimate precisely the detection sensitivity for the axion signal. Some essential features on the axion-photon-atom interaction are clarified, which provide the optimum experimental setup for the axion search.

Comments: 8 pages, 2 figures, Invited talk presented at the Dark2000, Heidelberg, Germany,10-15 July, 2000