Searches for Dark Matter with Precision Atomic and Optical Experiments

Speaker: Dr Yevgeny Stadnik
Affiliation: University of Sydney

Abstract

Ultra-low-mass bosonic particles produced non-thermally in the early Universe may subsequently form an oscillating classical field that can comprise the observed cold dark matter.  The very high number density of such dark-matter particles can give rise to characteristic wave-like signatures that are distinct from the traditional particle-like signatures considered in searches for WIMP dark matter.  In particular, ultra-low-mass scalar dark matter may induce apparent variations of the fundamental “constants” of Nature.  I discuss the basic principles of and recent results in searches for ultra-low-mass scalar dark matter using precision low-energy experiments, including atomic spectroscopy, optical cavities and interferometry.