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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.23337 |
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| _version_ | 1866915887517270016 |
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| author | Chen, J. F. Fu, Haokun Gao, Christina Shu, Jing Wu, Geng-Bo Yin, Peiran Zhong, Yi-Ming Zuo, Ying |
| author_facet | Chen, J. F. Fu, Haokun Gao, Christina Shu, Jing Wu, Geng-Bo Yin, Peiran Zhong, Yi-Ming Zuo, Ying |
| contents | Ultralight bosonic dark matter with masses in the meV range, corresponding to terahertz (THz) Compton frequencies, remains largely unexplored due to the difficulty of achieving both efficient signal conversion and single-photon-sensitive detection at THz frequencies. We propose a hybrid detection architecture that integrates a dielectric haloscope, Rydberg-atom transducer, and superconducting nanowire single-photon detection within a unified cryogenic platform operating at $\lesssim 1\,\text{K}$. The dielectric haloscope converts dark matter into THz photons via phase-matched resonant enhancement, achieving form factors $C \sim 0.4$ and loaded quality factors $Q_L \sim 10^4$. A cold $^{87}$Rb ensemble then coherently up-converts the THz signal to the optical domain through six-wave mixing among Rydberg states. The intrinsic directionality and narrow bandwidth ($Δν_{\mathrm{atomic}} \sim 1\,\text{MHz}$) of this process provide extra suppression of isotropic thermal backgrounds. With 10 days of integration at $0.3\,\text{K}$, we project sensitivity to the axion-photon coupling $g_{aγγ} \sim 10^{-13}\,\mathrm{GeV}^{-1}$ at $m_a \sim 0.4\,\text{meV}$, reaching the QCD axion band and opening the THz window for searches of both axion and dark photon dark matter. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_23337 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Dark Matter Detection through Rydberg Atom Transducer Chen, J. F. Fu, Haokun Gao, Christina Shu, Jing Wu, Geng-Bo Yin, Peiran Zhong, Yi-Ming Zuo, Ying High Energy Physics - Phenomenology Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics High Energy Physics - Experiment Atomic Physics Quantum Physics Ultralight bosonic dark matter with masses in the meV range, corresponding to terahertz (THz) Compton frequencies, remains largely unexplored due to the difficulty of achieving both efficient signal conversion and single-photon-sensitive detection at THz frequencies. We propose a hybrid detection architecture that integrates a dielectric haloscope, Rydberg-atom transducer, and superconducting nanowire single-photon detection within a unified cryogenic platform operating at $\lesssim 1\,\text{K}$. The dielectric haloscope converts dark matter into THz photons via phase-matched resonant enhancement, achieving form factors $C \sim 0.4$ and loaded quality factors $Q_L \sim 10^4$. A cold $^{87}$Rb ensemble then coherently up-converts the THz signal to the optical domain through six-wave mixing among Rydberg states. The intrinsic directionality and narrow bandwidth ($Δν_{\mathrm{atomic}} \sim 1\,\text{MHz}$) of this process provide extra suppression of isotropic thermal backgrounds. With 10 days of integration at $0.3\,\text{K}$, we project sensitivity to the axion-photon coupling $g_{aγγ} \sim 10^{-13}\,\mathrm{GeV}^{-1}$ at $m_a \sim 0.4\,\text{meV}$, reaching the QCD axion band and opening the THz window for searches of both axion and dark photon dark matter. |
| title | Dark Matter Detection through Rydberg Atom Transducer |
| topic | High Energy Physics - Phenomenology Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics High Energy Physics - Experiment Atomic Physics Quantum Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.23337 |