Search

A haloscope of the QUAX--$a��$ experiment composed of an oxygen-free high thermal conductivity-Cu cavity inside an 8.1 T magnet and cooled to $\sim200$ mK is put in operation for the search of galactic axion with mass $m_a\simeq43~��\text{eV}$. The power emitted by the resonant cavity is amplified with a Josephson parametric amplifier whose noise fluctuations are at the standard quantum limit. With the data collected in about 1 h at the cavity frequency $��_c=10.40176$ GHz, the experiment reaches the sensitivity necessary for the detection of galactic QCD-axion, setting the $90\%$ confidence level limit to the axion-photon coupling $g_{a����}, 7 pages, 6 figures. Analysis method changed. The result is almost left unchanged. Consequently, text has been revised in the Analysis section. Added references. Added equations (2), (4), (5)

The optical and scintillation properties of undoped, Si-doped, and Si, B co-doped GaAs samples were studied. The light yield specification and X-ray luminescence of GaAs over a wide IR region by using Si and InGaAs photodetectors are presented. The undoped GaAs demonstrated a narrow emission band at 838 nm (1.48 eV) and a low light output of about 2 ph/keV. The GaAs:Si is characterized by three broad luminescence bands at 830 nm (1.49 eV), 1070 nm (1.16 eV), 1335 nm (0.93 eV) and a light output of about 71 ph/keV. In the case of GaAs:(Si, B), four luminescence bands at 860 nm (1.44 eV), 930 nm (1.33 eV), 1070 nm (1.16 eV) and 1335 nm (0.93 eV) were observed. A high light yield higher than 125 ph/keV was estimated for the co-doped sample. The applications of low energy gap semiconductors as cryogenic scintillators for particle detection are discussed. The GaAs is a promising crystal for a cryogenic scintillator for the dark matter (DM) detection.

Ruoso, G. "Searching for galactic axions through magnetized media: QUAX status report " in Proceedings of the 13th "Patras" Workshop on Axions, WIMPs and WISPs, PATRAS 2017 / Maroudas, Marios (eds.), Verlag Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron : 2018 ; Patras 2017 : 13th Patras Workshop on Axions, WIMPs and WISPs, 2017-05-15 - 2017-05-19, Thessaloniki 13th Patras Workshop on Axions, WIMPs and WISPs, Thessaloniki, Greece, 15 May 2017 - 19 May 2017; Hamburg : Verlag Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY-PROC, 83-86 (2018). doi:10.3204/DESY-PROC-2017-02/ruoso_giuseppe, The current status of the QUAX R&D program is presented. QUAX is a feasibility study for a detection of axion as dark matter based on the coupling to the electrons. The relevant signal is a magnetization change of a magnetic material placed inside a resonant microwave cavity and polarized with a static magnetic field., Published by Verlag Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Hamburg

Axions, originally proposed to solve the strong CP problem of quantum chromodynamics, emerge now as leading candidates of WISP dark matter. The rich phenomenology associated to the light and stable QCD axion can be described as an effective magnetic field that can be experimentally investigated. For the QUAX experiment, dark matter axions are searched by means of their resonant interactions with electronic spins in a magnetized sample. In principle, axion-induced magnetization changes can be detected by embedding a sample in an rf cavity in a static magnetic field. In this work we describe the operation of a prototype ferromagnetic haloscope, with a sensitivity limited by thermal fluctuations and receiver noise. With a preliminary dark matter search, we are able to set an upper limit on the coupling constant of DFSZ axions to electrons $g_{aee}, 10 pages, 8 figures

We present a detection scheme to search for QCD axion dark matter, that is based on a direct interaction between axions and electrons explicitly predicted by DFSZ axion models. The local axion dark matter field shall drive transitions between Zeeman-split atomic levels separated by the axion rest mass energy $m_a c^2$. Axion-related excitations are then detected with an upconversion scheme involving a pump laser that converts the absorbed axion energy ($\sim $ hundreds of $\mu$eV) to visible or infrared photons, where single photon detection is an established technique. The proposed scheme involves rare-earth ions doped into solid-state crystalline materials, and the optical transitions take place between energy levels of $4f^N$ electron configuration. Beyond discussing theoretical aspects and requirements to achieve a cosmologically relevant sensitivity, especially in terms of spectroscopic material properties, we experimentally investigate backgrounds due to the pump laser at temperatures in the range $1.9-4.2$ K. Our results rule out excitation of the upper Zeeman component of the ground state by laser-related heating effects, and are of some help in optimizing activated material parameters to suppress the multiphonon-assisted Stokes fluorescence., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures

Electron charge injection from a point electrode in gaseous and in liquid argon has been observed and its characteristics studied. In liquid argon, as we have observed, the charge dependence on applied voltage is governed by space charge limitation. The emission was found to take place (with the electrode in liquid phase) not continuously but as a pulsed injection. The pulsing rate has been studied as a function of the voltage, time and electrode separation. The measurements done so far have been performed in a closed environment with an impurity content of argon of the order of some tenth of p.p.b. (oxygen, CO2, etc.). Possible applications in liquid-argon purification and particle detection is presented. © 1991 Società Italiana di Fisica. 13 8 979 986 Cited By :2

We report new measurements of the infrared emission spectrum of Xe$_{2}$ excimers produced by electron impact in dense gas at room temperature. These measurements extend the density range previously explored by a factor of two. We have now reached a pressure $P\approx 3.3 $MPa, corresponding to a gas density $N\approx 8\cdot 10^{26} $m$^{-3}$ in both pure Xe gas and in a Ar--Xe mixture. The analysis of the changes of the spectrum induced by the interaction with the gaseous environment shows how cooperative-- and many-body effects develop with increasing density. We %will also show that quantum effects related to the indistinguishability of identical particles are observed even at such high temperature., Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, to be submitted to Phys. Rev. A

We consider the vacuum-field pressure on boundaries of a metal slab in the middle of a cavity with perfectly reflecting mirrors adopting the plasma model for the metal and paying special attention to the surface plasmon polariton contribution to the pressure. We demonstrate that, with increasing cavity length, the pressure on a thin (d<, Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures; presented at the International Workshop "60 Years of Casimir Effect", Brasilia, June 2008

We describe the principle and the status of the PVLAS experiment which is being assembled at INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (Legnaro, Padua, Italy) to look for coherent effects, related to the QED vacuum structure, on the propagation of a polarized light beam in a strong magnetic field.