We study the impact of virtual axions on the polarization of photons inside a cavity during the interaction of high-power laser pulses. A novel detection scheme for measuring the axion-induced ellipticity signal during the Light-by-Light (LBL) scattering process is investigated. We show that a momentum exchange between photons in a probe laser beam and a high-intensity target beam may lead to a resonance at the physical mass of the axion. Consequently, the resonant enhancement of vacuum birefringence gives rise to a large ellipticity signal. This signal enhancement can be applied in order to discriminate between the axion contribution to LBL scattering and the standard model contribution due to electron-positron pairs. The sensitivity of the scheme is studied for experimentally feasible probe light sources and ultrahigh intensity laser backgrounds. It is shown that this technique has the potential to probe the QCD axion in the mass range $10^{-2} \textrm{eV} \lesssim m_{a} \lesssim 1 \textrm{eV}$. In this region the axion induced signal surpasses the standard model background.
We present a brief overview of recently proposed detection schemes for axion, axion-like pseudoscalar particle and topological defect dark matter. We focus mainly on the possibility of using atomic and molecular systems for dark matter detection. For axions and axion-like particles, these methods are complementary probes to ongoing photon-axion interconversion experiments and astrophysical observations. For topological defects, these methods are complementary to conventional astrophysical search schemes based on gravitational signatures.
Experimental searches for axions or axion-like particles rely on semiclassical phenomena resulting from the postulated coupling of the axion to two photons. Sensitive probes of the extremely small coupling constant can be made by exploiting familiar, coherent electromagnetic laboratory techniques, including resonant enhancement of transitions using microwave and optical cavities, Bragg scattering, and coherent photon-axion oscillations. The axion beam may either be astrophysical in origin as in the case of dark matter axion searches and solar axion searches, or created in the laboratory from l…
We have recently shown that axions and axion-like particles (ALPs) may emit an observable stochastic gravitational wave (GW) background when they begin to oscillate in the early universe. In this note, we identify the regions of ALP parameter space which may be probed by future GW detectors, including ground- and space-based interferometers and pulsar timing arrays. Interestingly, these experiments have the ability to probe axions from the bottom up, i.e. in the very weakly coupled regime which is otherwise unconstrained. Furthermore, we discuss the effects of finite dark photon mass and kinet…
We reexamine the inverse Primakoff scattering of axions, whose scattering cross section depends on the distribution of electrons in target atoms. We evaluate it using a form factor computed with a relativistic Hartree-Fock wave function and compare it with the previous results obtained with those based on the screened Coulomb potential for the electrostatic field in the atom. We take xenon as an example for the target atom and show that the scattering cross section was overestimated by more than an order of magnitude for axions with $\lesssim O(10)$ keV energies, like solar axions. It is also …
We explore the possible cosmological consequence of the gravitational coupling between the inflaton and axion-like fields. In view of the forthcoming cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization and lensing data, we study the sensitivity of the CMB data on the cross-correlation between the curvature and axion isocurvature perturbations. Through a concrete example, we illustrate the explicit dependence of the scale dependent cross-correlation power spectrum on the axion parameters.
With continuously increasing intensities, modern laser systems can become a valuable tool for the search for axions and axion-like particles. As conventional setups of axion searches cannot easily accommodate the usage of a high-intensity laser system, we propose a novel, purely laser-based setup in which the occurrence of a frequency shift is an observable for the axion-photon interaction.
Measurements in the radio regime embrace a number of effective approaches for WISP searches, often covering unique or highly complementary ranges of the parameter space compared to those explored in other research domains. These measurements can be used to search for electromagnetic tracers of the hidden photon and axion oscillations, extending down to ~10^-19 eV the range of the hidden photon mass probed, and closing the last gaps in the strongly favoured 1-5 micro-eV range for axion dark matter. This provides a strong impetus for several new initiatives in the field, including the WISP Dark …
Standard Model extensions with light axions are well-motivated by the observed Dark Matter abundance and the Peccei-Quinn solution to the Strong CP Problem. In general such axions can have large flavor-violating couplings to SM fermions, which naturally arise in scenarios where the Peccei-Quinn symmetry also explains the hierarchical pattern of fermion masses and mixings. I will discuss how these couplings allow for efficient axion production from the decays of SM particles, giving the opportunity to probe flavored axion Dark Matter with precision flavor experiments, astrophysics and cosmology…
We study the future prospects of the 21cm forest observations on the axion-like dark matter when the spontaneous breaking of the global Peccei-Quinn (PQ) symmetry occurs after the inflation. The large isocurvature perturbations of order unity sourced from axion-like particles can result in the enhancement of minihalo formation, and the subsequent hierarchical structure formation can affect the minihalo abundance whose masses can exceed ${\cal O}(10^4) M_{\odot}$ relevant for the 21cm forest observations. We show that the 21cm forest observations are capable of probing the axion-like particle m…
If axions or axion-like particles exist and are detected, they will not only extend the standard model of particle physics but will also open a new way to probe their sources. Axion helioscopes aim to detect axions which are produced in the core of the sun. Their spectrum contains information about the solar interior and could in principle help to solve the conflict between high and low metallicity solar models. Using the planned International Axion Observatory (IAXO) as an example, we show that helioscopes could measure the strength of characteristic emission peaks caused by the presence of h…
Studies of axion-like particles (ALPs) commonly focus on a single type of interaction, for example couplings only to photons. Most ALP models however predict correlations between different couplings, which change the phenomenology in important ways. For example, an MeV-scale ALP coupled to Standard Model gauge bosons at high energies will in general interact with photons, $W^\pm$ and $Z$ bosons as well as mesons and nucleons at low energies. We study the implications of such scenarios and point out that astrophysical constraints, in particular from SN1987A, may be substantially relaxed, openin…
Axion-like particles (ALPs) are predicted by many extensions of the Standard Model (SM). When ALP mass lies in the range of MeV to GeV, the cosmology and astrophysics will be largely irrelevant. In this work, we investigate such light ALPs through the ALP-strahlung process $pp \to V a (\to γγ)$ at the 14 TeV LHC with an integrated luminosity of 3000 fb$^{-1}$ (HL-LHC). With the photon-jet algorithm, we demonstrate that our approach can probe the mass range of ALPs, which is inaccessible to previous LHC experiments. The obtained result can surpass the existing limits on ALP-photon coupling in t…
We present a brief overview of a new generation of high-precision laboratory and astrophysical measurements to search for ultralight (sub-eV) axion, axion-like pseudoscalar and scalar dark matter, which form either a coherent condensate or topological defects (solitons). In these new detection methods, the sought effects are linear in the interaction constant between dark matter and ordinary matter, which is in stark contrast to traditional searches for dark matter, where the sought effects are quadratic or higher order in the underlying interaction constants (which are extremely small).
Phenomenology of axion-meson mixing and scattering processes
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona（巴塞罗那自治大学）；Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE)（高能物理研究所（IFAE））；The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)（巴塞罗那科学技术学院（BIST））
We study the 2D scattering of axions from an accelerator like quadrupole magnet using the eikonal approximation in order to learn whether or not such a setup could serve as a new possible method for detecting axions on terrestrial experiments. The eikonal approximation in 2D is introduced and explained. We also apply the eikonal approximation to two known cases in order to compare it with previous results, obtained using Born's approximation, and discuss its correctness.
Axion remains the most convincing solution to the strong-CP problem and a well-motivated dark matter candidate, causing the search for axions and axion-like particles(ALPs) to attract attention continually. The exchange of such particles may cause anomalous spin-dependent forces, inspiring many laboratory ALP searching experiments based on the detection of macroscopic monopole-dipole interactions between polarized electrons/nucleons and unpolarized nucleons. Since there is no exact proof of the existence of these interactions, to detect them is still of great significance. In the present paper…
The propagation of a probe electromagnetic field through a counterpropagating strong plane wave is investigated. The effects of the electromagnetic field-(pseudo)scalar axion field interaction and of the self-interaction of the electromagnetic field mediated by virtual electron-positron pairs in the effective Lagrangian approach are included. First, we show that if the strong field is circularly polarized, contrary to the leading-order nonlinear QED effects, the axion-photon interaction induces a chiral-like birefringence and a dichroism in the vacuum. The latter effect is explained by evoking…
Relativistic axions are good candidates for the dark radiation for which there are mounting observational hints. The primordial decays of heavy fields produce axions which are ultra-energetic compared to thermalised matter and inelastic axion-matter scattering can occur with $E_{CoM} \gg T_γ$, thus accessing many interesting processes which are otherwise kinematically forbidden in standard cosmology. Axion-photon scattering into quarks and leptons during BBN affects the light element abundances, and bounds on overproduction of $^4$He constrain a combination of the axion decay constant and the …
In this paper we investigate the potential of current and upcoming cosmological surveys to constrain the mass and abundance of ultra-light axion (ULA) cosmologies with galaxy cluster number counts. ULAs, sometimes also referred to as Fuzzy Dark Matter, are well-motivated in many theories beyond the Standard Model and could potentially solve the $Λ$CDM small-scale crisis. Galaxy cluster counts provide a robust probe of the formation of structures in the Universe. Their distribution in mass and redshift is strongly sensitive to the underlying linear matter perturbations. In this forecast paper w…
We show that XENON1T and future liquid xenon (LXe) direct detection experiments are sensitive to axions through the standard $g_{aγ}aF\tilde{F}$ operators due to inverse-Primakoff scattering. This previously neglected channel significantly improves the sensitivity to the axion-photon coupling, with a reach extending to $g_{aγ} \sim 10^{-10}$ GeV$^{-1}$ for axion masses up to a keV, thereby extending into the region of heavier QCD axion models. This result modifies the couplings required to explain the XENON1T excess in terms of solar axions, opening a large region of $g_{aγ}$ - $m_a$ parameter…
The number of nonrelativistic axions can be changed by inelastic reactions that produce photons or relativistic axions. Any odd number of axions can annihilate into two photons. Any even number of nonrelativistic axions can scatter into two relativistic axions. We calculate the rate at which axions are lost from axion stars from these inelastic reactions. In dilute systems of axions, the dominant inelastic reaction is axion decay into two photons. In sufficiently dense systems of axions, the dominant inelastic reaction is the scattering of four nonrelativistic axions into two relativistic axio…
We investigate a novel technique for the astrophysical detection of axions or axion-like particles in the dark matter halo of the Milky Way based on stimulated decay of axions, which we call axion gegenschein emission. Photons from the brightest known radio sources with a frequency equal to half the axion mass stimulate axion decay while propagating through the dark matter halo, causing radio emission in a direction precisely opposite to the incoming photon in the axion rest-frame and creating a countersource for every radio source, with an image smoothed by the dark matter velocity dispersion…
Weak nuclear decays deep-underground as a probe of axion dark matter
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova（意大利国家核物理研究所帕多瓦分部）；Centro de Astropartı́culas y Fı́sica de Altas Energı́as (CAPA)（高能粒子与天体物理中心）；Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso（意大利国家核物理研究所格兰萨索国家实验室）
We have examined the sensitivity to the axion-like particle (ALP) couplings to electroweak gauge bosons in the diphoton production at a future muon collider. The collisions at the $μ^+ μ^-$ energies of 3 TeV, 14 TeV, and 100 TeV are addressed. The differential cross sections versus the invariant mass of the final photons and total cross section versus minimal diphoton invariant mass are presented. We have derived the exclusion regions for the ALP-gauge boson coupling. The obtained bounds are much stronger than the current experimental bounds in the ALP mass region 10 GeV -- 10 TeV. The partial…
In certain laboratory experiments the production and/or detection of axions is due to the photon-axion transformations in a strong magnetic field. This process is coherent, and the rate of the transformation is proportional to the length $l$ and magnitude $B$ of the magnetic field squared, $\sim l^2B^2$. In the present paper, we consider coherent production of axions due to the forward scattering of photons on atoms or molecules. This process may be represented as being due to an effective electromagnetic field which converts photons to axions. We present analytical expressions for such effect…
We calculate the total cross section for the production of photons from the scattering of axions by a strong inhomogeneous magnetic field in the form of a 2D delta-function, a cylindrical step function and a 2D Gaussian distribution, which can be approximately produced by a solenoidal current. The theoretical result is used to estimate the axion-photon conversion probability which could be expected in a reasonable experimental situation. The calculated conversion probabilities for QCD inspired axions are bigger by a factor of 2.67 (for the cylindrical step function case) than those derived by …
We propose a class of axion models with generation dependent Peccei-Quinn charges for the known fermions that allow to suppress the axion couplings to nucleons and electrons. Astrophysical limits are thus relaxed, allowing for axion masses up to ${\cal O}(0.1)$ eV. The axion-photon coupling remains instead sizeable, so that next generation helioscopes will be able to probe this scenario. Astrophobia unavoidably implies flavor violating axion couplings, so that experimental limits on flavour-violating processes can provide complementary probes. The astrophobic axion can be a viable dark matter …
We explore the potential of the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) for testing the presence of large extra dimensions. The CAST experiment has originally been proposed to search for solar axions with a sensitivity supposed to provide a limit on the axion-photon coupling g_{aγγ}<5x10^{-11} GeV^{-1} or even lower. The expected bound on the coupling constant is by a factor of ten more stringent than the current experimental results. This bound extends for the first time beyond the limit dictated by astrophysical considerations. As a tuning experiment planning to explore the axion mass region up to…
We strengthen the cosmological bound on the axion mass, by solving the momentum-dependent Boltzmann equations for axion-pion scatterings and by using a phenomenological production rate derived from pion-pion scattering data, overcoming the breakdown of chiral perturbation theory. Using present cosmological datasets we obtain $m_a\leq 0.24~\text{eV}$. To further improve the bound and exploit the reach of upcoming cosmological surveys, reliable non-perturbative calculations above the QCD crossover are needed.
There are broadly three channels to probe axion-like particles (ALPs) produced in the laboratory: through their subsequent decay to Standard Model (SM) particles, their scattering with SM particles, or their subsequent conversion to photons. Decay and scattering are the most commonly explored channels in beam-dump type experiments, while conversion has typically been utilized by light-shining-through-wall (LSW) experiments. A new class of experiments, dubbed PASSAT (Particle Accelerator helioScopes for Slim Axion-like-particle deTection), has been proposed to make use of the ALP-to-photon conv…
The virtual production of axion-like particles (ALPs) in the light-by-light scattering at the CLIC collider is studied. Both differential and total cross sections are calculated, assuming interaction of the ALP with photons via CP-odd term in the Lagrangian. The 95\% C.L. exclusion regions for the ALP mass and its coupling constant are given. By comparing our results with existing collider bounds, we see that the ALP search at the CLIC has a great physics potential of searching for the ALPs, especially, in the mass region 1 TeV -- 2.4 TeV, with the collision energy $\sqrt{s} = 3000$ GeV and in…
The QCD axion is a promising candidate of the dark matter. In this paper, we discuss elastic scattering processes between nucleons and the QCD axion dark matter. We point out that the cross section can be enhanced by more than $\mathcal{O}(10^{25})$ by the coherent effect, compared to classical processes. As a result, for example, we show that QCD axions may scatters at the sun with $\mathcal{O}(1)$ probability for $f_a \lesssim 10^{11}\,\text{GeV}$. In addition, one may expect stimulated emission effects can also enhance the cross section because the number density of the axion DM is very lar…
Neutrino and axion production in neutron stars occurs mainly as bremsstrahlung from nucleon-nucleon (NN) scattering. The energy radiated via neutrinos or axions is typically very small compared to other scales in the two-nucleon system. The rate of emission of such "soft" radiation is directly related to the on-shell NN amplitude, and thereby to the NN experimental data. This facilitates the model-independent calculation of the neutrino and axion radiation rates which is presented here. We find that the resultant rates are a factor of four below earlier estimates based on a one-pion-exchange N…
Dark Matter (DM) may be comprised of axion-like particles (ALPs) with couplings to photons and the standard model fermions. In this paper we study photon signals arising from cosmic ray (CR) electron scattering on background ALPs. For a range of masses we find that these bounds can place competitive new constraints on the ALP-electron coupling, although in many models lifetime constraints may supersede these bounds. In addition to current Fermi constraints, we also consider future e-Astrogram bounds which will have greater sensitivity to ALP-CR induced gamma-rays.
While most searches for cosmic axions so far focused on their cold relics as (a component of) dark matter, various well-motivated cosmological sources can produce "boosted" axions that remain relativistic today. We demonstrate that existing/upcoming neutrino experiments such as Super-Kamiokande, Hyper-Kamiokande, DUNE, JUNO, and IceCube can probe such energetic axion relics. The characteristic signature is the mono-energetic single photon signal from axion absorption induced by the axion-photon coupling. This proposal offers to cover parameter ranges that are complementary to existing axion se…
The hypothetical axion and axion-like particles, feebly coupled with photon, have not yet been found in any experiment. With the improvement of laser technique, much stronger but shorter quasi-static electric and magnetic fields can be created in laboratory using laser-plasma interaction, compared to the fields of large magnets, to help the search of axion. In this article, we discuss the feasibility of ALPs exploration using planarly or cylindrically symmetric laser-plasma fields as background and an x-ray free-electron laser as probe. Both the probe and the background fields are polarized su…
