Searching for dark matter and dark energy with mechanical systems

  • Physics and Astronomy Colloquium

February 14, 2025 3:30 PM - February 14, 2025 4:30 PM
PAIS 1100

Host:
Ivan Deutsch
Presenter:
Dr. Swati Singh (University of Delaware)
Video recording
When properly engineered, simple quantum systems such as harmonic oscillators or spins can be excellent detectors of feeble forces and fields. Following a general introduction to this fast-growing area of research, I will focus on using optomechanical systems as sensors of weak acceleration and strain fields. Ultralight dark matter coupling to standard model fields and particles would produce a coherent strain or acceleration signal in an elastic solid. I will discuss the feasibility of searching for this signal using various optomechanical systems. I will also show that current mechanical systems have the sensitivity to set new constraints on scalar field candidates for dark energy. Finally, I will briefly overview the promise of quantum noise limited detectors in the search for beyond the standard model physics.

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