Near-Quantum-Noise Axion Dark Matter Search at CAPP around 9.5 μeV

We report the results of an axion dark matter search over an axion mass range of 9.39-9.51  μeV. A flux-driven Josephson parametric amplifier (JPA) was added to the cryogenic receiver chain. A system noise temperature of as low as 200 mK was achieved, which is the lowest recorded noise among published axion cavity experiments with phase-insensitive JPA operation. In addition, we developed a two-stage scanning method which boosted the scan speed by 26%. As a result, a range of two-photon coupling in a plausible model for the QCD axion was excluded with an order of magnitude higher in sensitivity than existing limits.

Axion Dark Matter Search around 4.55 μeV with Dine-Fischler-Srednicki-Zhitnitskii Sensitivity

We report an axion dark matter search at Dine-Fischler-Srednicki-Zhitnitskii sensitivity with the CAPP-12TB haloscope, assuming axions contribute 100% of the local dark matter density. The search excluded the axion-photon coupling g_{aγγ} down to about 6.2×10^{-16}  GeV^{-1} over the axion mass range between 4.51 and 4.59  μeV at a 90% confidence level. The achieved experimental sensitivity can also exclude Kim-Shifman-Vainshtein-Zakharov axion dark matter that makes up just 13% of the local dark matter density. The CAPP-12TB haloscope will continue the search over a wide range of axion masses.

First Results from an Axion Haloscope at CAPP around 10.7 μeV

The Center for Axion and Precision Physics Research at the Institute for Basic Science is searching for axion dark matter using ultralow temperature microwave resonators. We report the exclusion of the axion mass range 10.7126-10.7186  μeV with near Kim-Shifman-Vainshtein-Zakharov (KSVZ) coupling sensitivity and the range 10.16-11.37  μeV with about 9 times larger coupling at 90% confidence level. This is the first axion search result in these ranges. It is also the first with a resonator physical temperature of less than 40 mK.

The neutron electric dipole moment experiment at the Spallation Neutron Source

Novel experimental techniques are required to make the next big leap in neutron electric dipole moment experimental sensitivity, both in terms of statistics and systematic error control. The nEDM experiment at the Spallation Neutron Source (nEDM@SNS) will implement the scheme of Golub & Lamoreaux [Phys. Rep., 237, 1 (1994)]. The unique properties of combining polarized ultracold neutrons, polarized 3He, and superfluid 4He will be exploited to provide a sensitivity to ∼ 10−28 e · cm. Our cryogenic apparatus will deploy two small (3 L) measurement cells with a high density of ultracold neutrons produced and spin analyzed in situ. The electric field strength, precession time, magnetic shielding, and detected UCN number will all be enhanced compared to previous room temperature Ramsey measurements. Our 3He co-magnetometer offers unique control of systematic effects, in particular the Bloch-Siegert induced false EDM. Furthermore, there will be two distinct measurement modes: free precession and dressed spin. This will provide an important self-check of our results. Following five years of “critical component demonstration,” our collaboration transitioned to a “large scale integration” phase in 2018. An overview of our measurement techniques, experimental design, and brief updates are described in these proceedings.

SQUID-detected ultra-low field MRI

MRI remains the premier method for non-invasive imaging of soft-tissue. Since the first demonstration of ULF MRI the trend has been towards ever higher magnetic fields. This is because the signal, and efficiency of Faraday detectors, increases with ever higher magnetic fields and corresponding Larmor frequencies. Nevertheless, there are many compelling reasons to continue to explore MRI at much weaker magnetic fields, the so-called ultra-low field or (ULF) regime. In the past decade many excellent proof-of-concept demonstrations of ULF MRI have been made. These include combined MRI and magnetoencephalography, imaging in the presence of metal, unique tissue contrast, and implementation in situations where a high magnetic field is simply impractical. These demonstrations have routinely used pulsed pre-polarization (at magnetic fields from ~10 to 100 mT) followed by read-out in a much weaker (1-100 μT) magnetic fields using the ultra-sensitive Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) sensor. Even with pre-polarization and SQUID detection, ULF MRI suffers from many challenges associated with lower magnetization (i.e. signal) and inherently long acquisition times compared to conventional >1 T MRI. These are fundamental limitations imposed by the low measurement and gradient fields used. In this review article we discuss some of the techniques, potential applications, and inherent challenges of ULF MRI.

SQUID-detected ultra-low field MRI

MRI remains the premier method for non-invasive imaging of soft-tissue. Since the first demonstration of ULF MRI the trend has been towards ever higher magnetic fields. This is because the signal, and efficiency of Faraday detectors, increases with ever higher magnetic fields and corresponding Larmor frequencies. Nevertheless, there are many compelling reasons to continue to explore MRI at much weaker magnetic fields, the so-called ultra-low field or (ULF) regime. In the past decade many excellent proof-of-concept demonstrations of ULF MRI have been made. These include combined MRI and magnetoencephalography, imaging in the presence of metal, unique tissue contrast, and implementation in situations where a high magnetic field is simply impractical. These demonstrations have routinely used pulsed pre-polarization (at magnetic fields from ∼10 to 100mT) followed by read-out in a much weaker (1-100μT) magnetic fields using the ultra-sensitive Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) sensor. Even with pre-polarization and SQUID detection, ULF MRI suffers from many challenges associated with lower magnetization (i.e. signal) and inherently long acquisition times compared to conventional >1T MRI. These are fundamental limitations imposed by the low measurement and gradient fields used. In this review article we discuss some of the techniques, potential applications, and inherent challenges of ULF MRI.

Non-cryogenic anatomical imaging in ultra-low field regime: hand MRI demonstration

Ultra-low field (ULF) MRI with a pulsed prepolarization is a promising method with potential for applications where conventional high-, mid-, and low-field medical MRI cannot be used due to cost, weight, or other restrictions. Previously, successful ULF demonstrations of anatomical imaging were made using liquid helium-cooled SQUIDs and conducted inside a magnetically shielded room. The Larmor frequency for these demonstrations was ∼3 kHz. In order to make ULF MRI more accessible, portable, and inexpensive, we have recently developed a non-cryogenic system. To eliminate the requirement for a magnetically shielded room and improve the detection sensitivity, we increased the frequency to 83.6 kHz. While the background noise at these frequencies is greatly reduced, this is still within the ULF regime and most of its advantages such as simplicity in magnetic field generation hardware, and less stringent requirements for uniform fields, remaining. In this paper we demonstrate use of this system to image a human hand with up to 1.5mm resolution. The signal-to-noise ratio was sufficient to reveal anatomical features within a scan time of less than 7 min. This prototype can be scaled up for constructing head and full body scanners, and work is in progress toward demonstration of head imaging.

Magnetic Resonance Relaxometry at Low and Ultra low Fields

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are ubiquitous tools in science and medicine. NMR provides powerful probes of local and macromolecular chemical structure and dynamics. Recently it has become possible and practical to perform MR at very low fields (from 1 μT to 1 mT), the so-called ultra-low field (ULF) regime. Pulsed pre-polarizing fields greatly enhance the signal strength and allow flexibility in signal acquisition sequences. Improvements in SQUID sensor technology allow ultra-sensitive detection in a pulsed field environment.In this regime the proton Larmor frequencies (1 Hz - 100 kHz) of ULF MR overlap (on a time scale of 10 μs to 100 ms) with "slow" molecular dynamic processes such as diffusion, intra-molecular motion, chemical reactions, and biological processes such as protein folding, catalysis and ligand binding. The frequency dependence of relaxation at ultra-low fields may provide a probe for biomolecular dynamics on the millisecond timescale (protein folding and aggregation, conformational motions of enzymes, binding and structural fluctuations of coupled domains in allosteric mechanisms) relevant to host-pathogen interactions, biofuels, and biomediation. Also this resonance-enhanced coupling at ULF can greatly enhance contrast in medical applications of ULF-MRI resulting in better diagnostic techniques.We have developed a number of instruments and techniques to study relaxation vs. frequency at the ULF regime. Details of the techniques and results are presented.Ultra-low field methods are already being applied at LANL in brain imaging, and detection of liquid explosives at airports. However, the potential power of ultra-low field MR remains to be fully exploited.

Detection of 3He spins with ultra-low field nuclear magnetic resonance employing SQUIDs for application to a neutron electric dipole moment experiment

The precession of (3)He spins is detected with ultra-low field NMR. The absolute strength of the NMR signal is accurately measured and agrees closely with theoretical calculations. The sensitivity is analyzed for applications to a neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) fundamental symmetry experiment under development.

[Late ventricular potentials in acute and rehabilitative periods of myocardial infarct]

The study was undertaken to examine 121 individuals: 48 apparently healthy subjects, 43 patients with angina pectoris and 42 patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). Late ventricular potentials (LVP) were recorded in 6.2% of healthy subjects, 25.6% of patients with angina and 40.5% of those with MI in the first 24 hours, 28.5% on day 3, and 45.2% on day 14 of the onset of infarction. They were not recorded in 35.7% of MI patients. On days 3-4 of MI, the presence of LVP depended on the severity of diastolic left ventricular dysfunction; on day 14, LVP occur more frequently with circular than with anterior MI; in days 3 and 14, LVP were recorded much more frequently with Q wave; the total R-wave amplitude in leads V2-V4 is of definite importance for LVP in anterior MI, whereas that in 35 leads is of definite significance in posterior MI.