Scattering of light dark matter in atomic clocks

TY - JOUR

T1 - Scattering of light dark matter in atomic clocks

AU - Wolf, Peter

AU - Alonso, Rodrigo

AU - Blas, Diego

PY - 2019/5/17

Y1 - 2019/5/17

N2 - We present a detailed analysis of the effect of light dark matter (DM) on atomic clocks, for the case where DM mass and density are such that occupation numbers are low and DM must be considered as particles scattering off the atoms, rather than a classical field. We show that the resulting atomic clock frequency shifts are first order in the scattering amplitudes and particularly suited to constrain DM models in the regime where the DM mass mχ GeV. We provide some rough order of magnitude estimates of sensitivity that can be confronted to any DM model that allows for nonzero differential scattering amplitudes of the two atomic states involved in the clock.

AB - We present a detailed analysis of the effect of light dark matter (DM) on atomic clocks, for the case where DM mass and density are such that occupation numbers are low and DM must be considered as particles scattering off the atoms, rather than a classical field. We show that the resulting atomic clock frequency shifts are first order in the scattering amplitudes and particularly suited to constrain DM models in the regime where the DM mass mχ GeV. We provide some rough order of magnitude estimates of sensitivity that can be confronted to any DM model that allows for nonzero differential scattering amplitudes of the two atomic states involved in the clock.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85066931729&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevD.99.095019

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevD.99.095019

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85066931729

SN - 2470-0010

VL - 99

JO - Physical Review D

JF - Physical Review D

IS - 9

M1 - 095019

ER -