Dark matter axion search using a Josephson Traveling wave parametric amplifier.

We describe the first implementation of a Josephson Traveling Wave Parametric Amplifier (JTWPA) in an axion dark matter search. The operation of the JTWPA for a period of about two weeks achieved sensitivity to axion-like particle dark matter with axion-photon couplings above 10-13 Ge V-1 over a narrow range of axion masses centered around 19.84 µeV by tuning the resonant frequency of the cavity over the frequency range of 4796.7-4799.5 MHz. The JTWPA was operated in the insert of the axion dark matter experiment as part of an independent receiver chain that was attached to a 0.56-l cavity. The ability of the JTWPA to deliver high gain over a wide (3 GHz) bandwidth has engendered interest from those aiming to perform broadband axion searches, a longstanding goal in this field.

Search for a Dark-Matter-Induced Cosmic Axion Background with ADMX.

We report the first result of a direct search for a cosmic axion background (CaB)-a relativistic background of axions that is not dark matter-performed with the axion haloscope, the Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX). Conventional haloscope analyses search for a signal with a narrow bandwidth, as predicted for dark matter, whereas the CaB will be broad. We introduce a novel analysis strategy, which searches for a CaB induced daily modulation in the power measured by the haloscope. Using this, we repurpose data collected to search for dark matter to set a limit on the axion photon coupling of a CaB originating from dark matter cascade decay via a mediator in the 800-995 MHz frequency range. We find that the present sensitivity is limited by fluctuations in the cavity readout as the instrument scans across dark matter masses. Nevertheless, we suggest that these challenges can be surmounted using superconducting qubits as single photon counters, and allow ADMX to operate as a telescope searching for axions emerging from the decay of dark matter. The daily modulation analysis technique we introduce can be deployed for various broadband rf signals, such as other forms of a CaB or even high-frequency gravitational waves.

Rigorous ESR spectroscopy of Fe3+ impurity ion with oxygen vacancy in ferroelectric SrTiO3 crystal at 20 mK.

Impurity Fe3+ ion electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy using multiple dielectric modes in a SrTiO3 dielectric resonator has been performed with a tunable DC magnetic field of up to 1.6 T. The Ti[Formula: see text] ion is substituted by Fe3+ ion forming FeO6 octahedral complex with an iron-oxygen-vacancy (Fe[Formula: see text]). In such a metal-ligand complex, a giant g-factor of [Formula: see text] was observed in the ferroelectric phase at 20 mK. The change of Fe3+ ion center-symmetry in the FeO6 complex as a soft-mode characteristics of ferroelectric phase transition and the influences of iron-oxygen-vacancy (Fe[Formula: see text]), are interactively sensitive to asymmetry in the octahedral rotational parameter Φ in SrTiO3.

Aggregate frequency width, nuclear hyperfine coupling and Jahn-Teller effect of Cu2+ impurity ion ESR in SrLaAlO4 dielectric resonator at 20 millikelvin.

The impurity paramagnetic ion, [Formula: see text] substitutes Al in the [Formula: see text] single crystal lattice, this results in a [Formula: see text] elongated octahedron, and the resulting measured g-factors satisfy four-fold axes variation condition. The aggregate frequency width of the electron spin resonance with the required minimum level of impurity concentration has been evaluated in this single crystal [Formula: see text] at 20 millikelvin. Measured parallel hyperfine constants, [Formula: see text], were determined to be [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] at [Formula: see text] for the nuclear magnetic quantum number [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] respectively. The anisotropy of the hyperfine structure reveals the characteristics of the static Jahn-Teller effect. The second-order-anisotropy term, [Formula: see text], is significant and cannot be disregarded, with the local strain dominating over the observed Zeeman-anisotropy-energy difference. The Bohr electron magneton, [Formula: see text], (within [Formula: see text] so-called experimental error) has been found using the measured spin-Hamiltonian parameters. Measured nuclear dipolar hyperfine structure parameter [Formula: see text] shows that the mean inverse third power of the electron distance from the nucleus is [Formula: see text] a.u. for [Formula: see text] ion in the substituted [Formula: see text] ion site assuming nuclear electric quadruple moment [Formula: see text] barn.

Whispering Gallery mode ESR spectroscopy and parameters measurement in single crystal SrLaAlO4 at millikelvin temperature.

A cylindrical single crystal SrLaAlO4 Whispering Gallery mode dielectric resonator was cooled to millikelvin temperature using a dilution refrigerator. By controlling a DC-magnetic field, impurity ions' spins were coupled to a variety of modes allowing the measurement of hybrid spin-photon systems. This Electron Spin Resonance mapping technique allowed us to detect Cu2+,Fe3+ and Mn4+ impurity ions (at the level of parts per million (ppm) to parts per billion (ppb)), verified by the measurement of the spin parameters along with their site symmetry. Whispering Gallery modes exhibited Q-factors ⩾105 at a temperature less than 20mK, allowing sensitive spectroscopy with high precision. Measured hyperfine line constants of the Cu2+ ion shows different parallel g-factors, g‖Cu, of 2.526,2.375,2.246 and 2.142. The spin-orbit coupling constant of the Cu2+ ion was determined to be λ≃-635cm-1. The low-spin state Fe3+ ion's measured parallel g-factor, g‖Fe, of 2.028 reveals tetragonal anisotropy. The Mn4+ ion is identified in the lattice, producing hyperfine structure with high-valued g-factors,g‖Mn, of 7.789,7.745,7.688,7.613,7.5304 and 7.446. The hyperfine structures of the Cu2+ and Mn4+ ions show broadening of about 79G between 9.072GHz and 10.631GHz, and 24.5G broadening between 9.072GHz and 14.871GHz, respectively.

Experiments match simulations in a multiple post reentrant cavity.

Microwave reentrant cavities are used for many applications in science and engineering. The potential for both high mechanical tunability and high electric quality factors make them important tools in many areas. They are usually resonant cylindrical cavities with a central post, which makes a small gap spacing with the cavity wall. By adding an arbitrary number of extra posts, they are generalized to a type of multiple post reentrant cavity. This new approach has been theoretically studied but no experimental results have been presented. The main purpose of this work was to compare experimental modes with simulated ones from a reentrant cavity made of forty nine cylindrical posts. Each post could be moved using a screw in order to make tunable gap spacing between the post top and the cavity cover. Eight different gap setups were made making it possible to investigate thirty six different reentrant modes at room temperature. The lowest frequency percentage agreement between experiment and simulation was 91.31%, and the best one was 99.92%. Taking into account all the modes, 94.44% of them agreed above 96%. Thus, we have determined an experimental procedure suitable to investigate the reentrant modes from multiple post cavities. There is a wide range of potential applications for such cavities due to their unique features compared to conventional ones.

Piezoelectric tunable microwave superconducting cavity.

In the context of engineered quantum systems, there is a demand for superconducting tunable devices, able to operate with high-quality factors at power levels equivalent to only a few photons. In this work, we developed a 3D microwave re-entrant cavity with such characteristics ready to provide a very fine-tuning of a high-Q resonant mode over a large dynamic range. This system has an electronic tuning mechanism based on a mechanically amplified piezoelectric actuator, which controls the resonator dominant mode frequency by changing the cavity narrow gap by very small displacements. Experiments were conducted at room and dilution refrigerator temperatures showing a large dynamic range up to 4 GHz and 1 GHz, respectively, and were compared to a finite element method model simulated data. At elevated microwave power input, nonlinear thermal effects were observed to destroy the superconductivity of the cavity due to the large electric fields generated in the small gap of the re-entrant cavity.

Piezoelectric voltage coupled reentrant cavity resonator.

A piezoelectric voltage coupled microwave reentrant cavity has been developed. The central cavity post is bonded to a piezoelectric actuator allowing the voltage control of small post displacements over a high dynamic range. We show that such a cavity can be implemented as a voltage tunable resonator, a transducer for exciting and measuring mechanical modes of the structure, and a transducer for measuring comparative sensitivity of the piezoelectric material. Experiments were conducted at room and cryogenic temperatures with results verified using Finite Element software.

Experimental realization of an optical second with strontium lattice clocks.

Progress in realizing the SI second had multiple technological impacts and enabled further constraint of theoretical models in fundamental physics. Caesium microwave fountains, realizing best the second according to its current definition with a relative uncertainty of 2-4 × 10(-16), have already been overtaken by atomic clocks referenced to an optical transition, which are both more stable and more accurate. Here we present an important step in the direction of a possible new definition of the second. Our system of five clocks connects with an unprecedented consistency the optical and the microwave worlds. For the first time, two state-of-the-art strontium optical lattice clocks are proven to agree within their accuracy budget, with a total uncertainty of 1.5 × 10(-16). Their comparison with three independent caesium fountains shows a degree of accuracy now only limited by the best realizations of the microwave-defined second, at the level of 3.1 × 10(-16).

Rigorous analysis of highly tunable cylindrical transverse magnetic mode re-entrant cavities.

Cylindrical re-entrant cavities are unique three-dimensional structures that resonate with their electric and magnetic fields in separate parts of the cavity. To further understand these devices, we undertake rigorous analysis of the properties of the resonance using "in-house" developed Finite Element Method (FEM) software capable of dealing with small gap structures of extreme aspect ratio. Comparisons between the FEM method and experiments are consistent and we illustrate where predictions using established lumped element models work well and where they are limited. With the aid of the modeling we design a highly tunable cavity that can be tuned from 2 GHz to 22 GHz just by inserting a post into a fixed dimensioned cylindrical cavity. We show this is possible, as the mode structure transforms from a re-entrant mode during the tuning process to a standard cylindrical transverse magnetic mode.

Improved tests of local position invariance using 87Rb and 133Cs fountains.

We report tests of local position invariance based on measurements of the ratio of the ground state hyperfine frequencies of 133Cs and 87Rb in laser-cooled atomic fountain clocks. Measurements extending over 14 years set a stringent limit to a possible variation with time of this ratio: d ln(ν(Rb)/ν(Cs))/dt=(-1.39±0.91)×10(-16) yr(-1). This improves by a factor of 7.7 over our previous report [H. Marion et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 150801 (2003)]. Our measurements also set the first limit to a fractional variation of the Rb/Cs frequency ratio with gravitational potential at the level of c(2)d ln(ν(Rb)/ν(Cs))/dU=(0.11±1.04)×10(-6), providing a new stringent differential redshift test. The above limits equivalently apply to the fractional variation of the quantity α(-0.49)(g(Rb)/g(Cs)), which involves the fine-structure constant α and the ratio of the nuclear g-factors of the two alkalis. The link with variations of the light quark mass is also presented together with a global analysis combining other available highly accurate clock comparisons.

Precise phase synchronization of a cryogenic microwave oscillator.

We developed a novel technique for accurate phase synchronization of microwave oscillators based on sapphire dielectric resonators cooled to liquid nitrogen temperature. The achieved quality of phase synchronization (a few milliradians) enables the accurate measurements of extremely weak phase fluctuations expected from the next generation of ultralow phase noise microwave oscillators.

Invited article: design techniques and noise properties of ultrastable cryogenically cooled sapphire-dielectric resonator oscillators.

We review the techniques used in the design and construction of cryogenic sapphire oscillators at the University of Western Australia over the 18 year history of the project. We describe the project from its beginnings when sapphire oscillators were first developed as low-noise transducers for gravitational wave detection. Specifically, we describe the techniques that were applied to the construction of an interrogation oscillator for the PHARAO Cs atomic clock in CNES, in Toulouse France, and to the 2006 construction of four high performance oscillators for use at NMIJ and NICT, in Japan, as well as a permanent secondary frequency standard for the laboratory at UWA. Fractional-frequency fluctuations below 6 x 10(-16) at integration times between 10 and 200 s have been repeatedly achieved.

Optical frequency synthesis from a cryogenic microwave sapphire oscillator.

We demonstrate an optical frequency comb with fractional frequency instability of

Long-distance frequency dissemination with a resolution of 10(-17).

We use a new technique to disseminate microwave reference signals along ordinary optical fiber. The fractional frequency resolution of a link of 86 km in length is 10(-17) for a one day integration time, a resolution higher than the stability of the best microwave or optical clocks. We use the link to compare the microwave reference and a CO2/OsO4 frequency standard that stabilizes a femtosecond laser frequency comb. This demonstrates a resolution of 3 x 10(-14) at 1 s. An upper value of the instability introduced by the femtosecond laser-based synthesizer is estimated as 1 x 10(-14) at 1 s.

Novel interferometric frequency discriminators for low noise microwave applications.

New configurations of interferometric frequency discriminators (FD) for frequency stabilization of microwave oscillators are examined. The new FDs are arranged in single directional (SD) (patented), bi-directional (BD) (patent pending), and dual reflection (DR) (patent pending) configurations. In the SD configuration, the signals reflected off and transmitted through the resonator separately pass through different arms of the interferometer. In the BD configuration, microwaves pass in both directions through each arm of the interferometer. In the DR configuration, microwaves are reflected from the resonator as well as the compensating arm. The FD sensitivity is compared with that for the conventional interferometric FD and found to be 6 dB greater in the BD configuration. Because no circulator is required within the interferometer in either the BD or the DR FD, the discriminator's phase noise floor is not limited by the circulator contribution.

Analysis of the rutile-ring method of frequency-temperature compensating a high-Q whispering gallery sapphire resonator.

The rutile-ring method of dielectrically frequency-temperature compensating a high-Q whispering gallery (WG) sapphire resonator is presented. Two and three-dimensional finite element (FE) analysis has been implemented to design and analyze the performance of such resonators, with excellent agreement between theory and experiment. A high-Q factor of 30 million at 13 GHz and compensation temperature of 56 K was obtained. It is shown the frequency-temperature compensation can occur either because the rutile adds a small perturbation to the sapphire resonator or because of a mode interaction with a resonant mode in the rutile. The characteristics of both of these methods are described, and it is shown that for high frequency stability, it is best to compensate perturbatively.

Compact, high-Q, zero temperature coefficient, TE011 sapphire-rutile microwave distributed Bragg reflector resonators.

Some novel new resonator designs based on the distributed Bragg reflector are presented. The resonators implement a TE011 resonance in a cylindrical sapphire dielectric, which is confined by the addition of rutile and sapphire dielectric reflectors at the end faces. Finite element calculations are utilized to optimize the dimensions to obtain the highest Q-factors and zero frequency-temperature coefficient for a resonator operating near 0 degree C. We show that a Q-factor of 70,000 and 65,000 can be achieved with and without the condition of zero frequency-temperature coefficients, respectively.

High-Q whispering gallery traveling wave resonators for oscillator frequency stabilization.

Usually a frequency-stabilized standing wave resonator-oscillator incorporating a resonator as a frequency discriminator requires a circulator to separate the injected and reflected wave, A ferrite circulator is a noisy device and can limit the phase noise or frequency stability. Moreover, we show that the noise in a circulator varies, and detailed low noise measurements are necessary to choose an appropriate quiet circulator. Thus, by realizing a configuration that does not require a circulator, an improvement in performance and reliability can be obtained. A solution to this problem is to design a high-Q whispering gallery traveling wave (WGTW) resonator. This device naturally separates the injected and reflected wave in the same way as a ring cavity at optical frequencies, without degrading the frequency discrimination. Q-factor measurements of a WGTW sapphire resonator are presented, along with a derivation of critical parameters to maximize the frequency discrimination. New measurements of noise in ferrite circulators and isolators have also been made, which is followed with a discussion on oscillator design.

Fabry-Perot resonator with interferometric read-out for low noise applications.

New readout configurations for a Fabry-Perot (FP) resonator (or frequency discriminator) that combine the reflected and transmitted waves are analyzed in detail. The waves may be combined in a Sagnac (S) or Mach-Zehnder (MZ) configuration and tuned to a dark port (DP) to suppress the carrier frequency. To achieve this in a standard FP resonator, the mirror reflectance must be extremely well matched, which is a difficult and expensive task. Suppressing the carrier minimizes the Shot noise floor of a Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) frequency-stabilized laser. Moreover, depending on the amount of carrier suppression, a high amount of power may be injected into the resonator without saturating or destroying the photodetector at the discriminator output. Because the sensitivity of the frequency discriminator is also proportional to the injected power, a large improvement in frequency noise can be achieved for high power PDH-stabilized lasers utilizing only a small phase modulation index.