ICCUB SEMINAR – QCD Axion Searches with Microwave Filters [NOT TRANSLATED]

2018-04-11

00:00

Aula 507 (Pere Pascual) - UB

ICCUB SEMINAR – QCD Axion Searches with Microwave Filters

We have proposed, designed and constructed a variant of the conventional axion haloscope concept that could be competitive in the search for dark matter axions of masses in the decade 10-100 μeV. Our haloscope consists of an array of small microwave cavities connected by rectangular irises, in an arrangement commonly used in radio-frequency filters.

The size of the unit cavity determines the main resonant frequency, while the possibility to connect a large number of cavities allows to reach large detection volumes.

I will describe the theoretical framework of the detection concept and the design and realization of a first small-scale prototype of this concept, called Relic Axion Detector Exploratory Setup (RADES). It consists of a copper-coated stainless steel five-cavities microwave filter with the detecting mode operating at around 8.4 GHz. I will show the electromagnetic properties of the filter characterized at 2 K and 298 K, which is now placed in ultra-high vacuum in one of the twin-bores of the 9 T CAST dipole magnet at CERN, and the sensitivity to relic axions in the current data taking phase.

Contact email: jmiralda(a)fqa.ub.edu [NOT TRANSLATED]