Speaker
Description
Axions are among the most compelling dark matter candidates, motivating the development of precision laboratory searches based on their coupling to photons. In this talk, I will discuss a polarimetric approach to axion dark matter detection using optical cavities, focusing on the birefringence induced by an oscillating axion background in laser polarization. Within this framework, axion dark matter behaves as an effectively circularly birefringent medium, leading to a small rotation of the polarization state that can be resonantly enhanced in high-finesse cavities. I will present sensitivity projections for cavity configurations inspired by ALPS II and show how resonant enhancement, cavity design, and quarter-wave-plate configurations broaden the experimental reach. I will also briefly mention the extension of this method to high-frequency gravitational-wave searches. Based on Phys.Rev.D 112 (2025) 2, 023031
| Main Contribution topic | Axion / Sterile |
|---|---|
| Secondary contribution topic | Theory / Phenomenology |