Speaker
Description
The QCD axion is an excellent light dark matter candidate, while also
naturally explaining CP-conservation in strong interactions. Axions
generated after inflation are expected to have masses around 100µeV,
which is at present inaccessible by existing cavity searches.
Galactic axions can be converted to electromagnetic radiation at
boundaries between different dielectric constants under a strong
magnetic field. Combining many such surfaces, this conversion can be
enhanced significantly using constructive interference and resonances.
The proposed MADMAX setup containing around 80 dielectric disks and a
mirror in a $\sim 10\,{\rm T}$ magnetic field could probe the QCD
axion in the well-motivated mass range of $40-400\,\mu{\rm eV}$.
The experimental idea, the proposed design and expected sensitivity
will be presented. Recent R&D results from 3D simulations and proof of
principle prototype measurements and future plans are discussed.
