Application of Spin-Exchange Relaxation-Free Magnetometry to the Cosmic Axion Spin Precession Experiment
Abstract
The Cosmic Axion Spin Precession Experiment (CASPEr) seeks to measure oscillating torques on nuclear spins caused by axion or axion-like-particle (ALP) dark matter via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. A sample spin-polarized along a leading magnetic field experiences a resonance when the Larmor frequency matches the axion/ALP Compton frequency, generating precessing transverse nuclear magnetization. Here we demonstrate a Spin-Exchange Relaxation-Free (SERF) magnetometer with sensitivity and an effective sensing volume of 0.1 that may be useful for NMR detection in CASPEr. A potential drawback of SERF-magnetometer-based NMR detection is the SERF's limited dynamic range. Use of a magnetic flux transformer to suppress the leading magnetic field is considered as a potential method to expand the SERF's dynamic range in order to probe higher axion/ALP Compton frequencies.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1701.08082,
title = {Application of Spin-Exchange Relaxation-Free Magnetometry to the Cosmic Axion Spin Precession Experiment},
author = {Tao Wang and Derek F. Jackson Kimball and Alexander O. Sushkov and Deniz Aybas and John W. Blanchard and Gary Centers and Sean R. O Kelley and Arne Wickenbrock and Jiancheng Fang and Dmitry Budker},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1701.08082},
year = {2017}
}
Comments
30 pages, 7 figures