Quantum Sensing for the Hidden Sector (QSHS)

隐藏领域的量子传感 (QSHS)

基本信息

批准号：
ST/T006811/1
负责人：
Edward Daw
金额：
$ 209.38万
依托单位：
University of Sheffield
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2021
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2021 至无数据
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FT006811%2F1
关键词：
Quantum Sensing Hidden Sector QSHS

项目摘要

Identifying the nature of the dark matter that dominates the mass distribution of galaxies and that plays a key role in our understanding of cosmology is a central unsolved problem of modern physics. Attention over the past 30+ years has focused on weakly interacting dark matter (WIMPs); however, a smaller but active community has been searching instead for 'hidden-sector' particles, including the 'QCD axion', using some of the world's most sensitive electronics. Axions were invoked to solve the so-called strong-CP problem, whereby the theory governing strong interactions is far more symmetric than our current theory, quantum chromodynamics, say it should be. But axions also turn out to be a natural candidate for the mysterious dark matter. Theory suggests that axions should be detectable through the tiny signals they emit, about a millionth of an attowatt, while traversing a microwave cavity in a strong magnetic field. These signals are at the limit of what can be detected using even cryogenically-cooled ultra-low-noise electronics, but in the past few years, rapid progress in developing newer and more sensitive quantum sensors, fueled by parallel research in quantum computing and measurement, has placed the detection of axions within our reach. The UK has considerable expertise in these new quantum devices, and this proposal aims to apply these pivotal new measurement technologies to the search for hidden sector particles. Our proposed search has two main parts. First, we have reached out to the world's most sensitive axion search experiment, ADMX, proposing to form a UK-USA collaboration. ADMX has welcomed this approach, and is keenly encouraging our participation. The UK will design and install a new axion detector inside the magnet and cryostat that ADMX already operate. Using this detector, we will search for axions in our Galaxy's dark matter halo in a previously unexplored mass range between 25 and 40 micro-electron volts. This range is well matched to indications from current theories of what the axion mass might be, although the possible range of masses is far larger, and so there is a great deal of ground to cover. The UK instrument will have at its heart one of our own superconducting quantum measurement technologies - a bolometric detector, a coherent parametric amplifier, a SQUID based amplifier, or a qubit based photon counting device. The technology to be used will be selected after extensive characterisation at participating institutes. The chosen technology will then be integrated into the ADMX instrument module, which will be characterised in a dedicated 10 mK cryostat at the University of Sheffield. This same cryostat will then double as the first target in the UK high-field low-temperature test facility that forms the second part of our proposal.Second, an internationally competitive UK effort in hidden sector physics needs a world class UK facility incorporating an extremely high field magnet: several times larger than those used for MRI imaging in health care. Such a magnet is necessary for axion searches, and axions are arguably the best motivated hidden sector dark matter candidate. The bore of the magnet needs to be very cold for the quantum electronics to work, about 10mK. We will partner with a national laboratory to build and operate a UK facility meeting these specifications. Many hidden sector search experiments could be housed in this facility, but the first one will be our own low-temperature quantum-spectrometer.Finally, to help maintain the UK's international prominence in fundamental physics, we must create a research community. Hidden sector physics is a rapidly growing subject, and the discovery of a whole new class of particles would drive particle physics into a new era, and quantum electronics into new applications and markets. We believe that the technology and techniques developed will have applications in areas as diverse as quantum computing, communications and radar.

确定主导星系质量分布的暗物质的性质，并且在我们对宇宙学的理解中起着关键作用是现代物理学的中心未解决的问题。在过去的30多年中，注意力集中在弱相互作用的暗物质（Wimps）上。但是，使用世界上一些最敏感的电子产品，一个较小但活跃的社区一直在寻找“隐藏扇区”粒子，包括“ QCD轴”。调用了斧子来解决所谓的强CP问题，从而使强大相互作用的理论比我们当前的理论量子染色体动力学更为对称。但是斧头也是神秘暗物质的自然候选人。理论表明，应通过它们发出的微小信号（约占attowatt的三分之一）来检测轴，同时遍历强磁场中的微波腔。这些信号处于使用甚至低温冷却的超低噪声电子设备可以检测到的，但是在过去的几年中，在量子计算和测量方面的平行研究推动了开发更新和更敏感的量子传感器方面的快速进展，它使轴的检测置于我们范围内。英国在这些新的量子设备中具有大量的专业知识，该提案旨在将这些关键的新测量技术应用于寻找隐藏的部门颗粒。我们提出的搜索有两个主要部分。首先，我们已经接触到世界上最敏感的斧头搜索实验ADMX，建议组成英国 - 美国的合作。 ADMX欢迎这种方法，并敏锐地鼓励我们的参与。英国将在ADMX已经运行的磁铁和低温恒温器中设计和安装新的轴突检测器。使用该检测器，我们将在25至40微电子电压之间以前未开发的质量范围搜索银河系暗物质光环中的轴。尽管可能的质量范围要大得多，但该范围与当前理论的指示非常匹配，因此可以覆盖很多地面。英国仪器将拥有我们自己自己的超导量子测量技术之一 - 辐射测定器，相干参数放大器，基于鱿鱼的放大器或基于Qubit的光子计数设备。在参与机构进行广泛表征后，将选择要使用的技术。然后，所选的技术将集成到ADMX仪器模块中，该模块将以谢菲尔德大学的10 MK低温恒温器为特征。然后，同样的低温恒温器将成为英国高场低温测试设施中的第一个目标，构成了我们提案的第二部分。第二，国际上具有竞争力的英国在隐藏部门物理学中的努力需要一个世界一流的英国工厂，其中包含一个极高的田野磁铁：比医疗保健中MRI成像的几倍。这样的磁铁对于轴支搜索是必需的，并且轴可以说是最有动机的隐藏扇区暗物质候选者。磁铁的孔需要非常冷，以使量子电子功能工作约10MK。我们将与国家实验室合作，建造和运营符合这些规格的英国设施。许多隐藏的部门搜索实验可以安置在该设施中，但是第一个将是我们自己的低温量子光谱计。在本文中，为了帮助维持英国在基本物理学方面的国际突出，我们必须建立一个研究界。隐藏的扇形物理学是一个快速增长的主题，发现一类新的粒子会将粒子物理变成新时代，并将量子电子设备进入新的应用和市场。我们认为，开发的技术和技术将在量子计算，通信和雷达等多样化的领域中应用。