An improved RF cavity search for halo axions

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 2004. === Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-167) and index. === The axion is a hypothetical elementary particle and cold dark matter candidate. In this RF cavity experiment, halo axions entering a resonant cavity...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Yu, D. B. (Daniel Byungyoon), 1976-
Other Authors: Leslie J. Rosenberg and F.E. Taylor.
Format: Others
Language:English
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2005
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/29459
Description
Summary:Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 2004. === Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-167) and index. === The axion is a hypothetical elementary particle and cold dark matter candidate. In this RF cavity experiment, halo axions entering a resonant cavity immersed in a static magnetic field convert into microwave photons, with the resulting photons detected by a low-noise receiver. I present new limits on the axion-to-photon coupling and local axion dark matter halo mass density from a RF cavity axion search in the axion mass range 1.9-2.3 [mu]eV, broadening the search range to 1.9-3.3 [mu]eV. In addition, I report first results from an improved analysis technique, which improves the experiment sensitivity by 13%. === by D.B. Yu. === Ph.D.