A NEXT-GENERATION CAVITY MICROWAVE EXPERIMENT TO SEARCH FOR DARK-MATTER AXIONS

We propose a large-scale experimental search for dark-matter axions wh ich may constitute an important fraction of our own galactic halo. As shown by Sikivie,(1) dark-matter axions may be detected by their stimu lated conversion into monochromatic microwave photons in a tunable hig h-and cavity inside a strong magnetic field. The principal improvement in power sensitivity over two earlier pilot experiments (x 25) derive s from the large-volume high field superconducting magnet (the NASA SU MMA coils). The improvement in mass range (1.5 to 12.6 mu eV) will res ult from the use of several microwave cavity arrays, of 2(n) cavities each, over the course of the experimental program, rather than a singl e cavity. We are participating in a joint venture with the Institute f or Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences to do R&D on me talized precision-formed ceramic microwave cavities for the axion sear ch.