Dark matter search with a resonantly-coupled hybrid spin system.

Abstract

Recent advances in tabletop quantum sensor technology have enabled searches for nongravitational interactions of dark matter (DM). Traditional axion DM experiments rely on sharp resonance, resulting in extensive scanning time to cover a wide mass range. In this work, we present a broadband approach in an alkali-${}^{21}$Ne spin system. We identify two distinct hybrid spin-coupled regimes: a self-compensation (SC) regime at low frequencies and a hybrid spin resonance (HSR) regime at higher frequencies. By utilizing these two distinct regimes, we significantly enhance the bandwidth of ${}^{21}$Ne nuclear spin compared to conventional nuclear magnetic resonance, while maintaining competitive sensitivity. We present a comprehensive broadband search for axion-like dark matter, covering 5 orders of magnitude of Compton frequencies range within $[10^{-2}, \, 10^3]$\,Hz. We set new constraints on the axion dark matter interactions with neutrons and protons, accounting for the effects of DM stochasticity. For the axion-neutron coupling, our results reach a low value of $|g_{ann}|\le 3\times 10^{-10}$ in the frequency range $[2\times 10^{-2}, \, 4]$\,Hz surpassing astrophysical limits and providing the strongest laboratory constraints in the $[10, \, 100]$\,Hz range. For the axion-proton coupling, we offer the best terrestrial constraints for the frequency ranges $[2\times 10^{-2}, \, 5]$\,Hz and $[16, \, 7\times 10^{2}]$\,Hz.