Atom interferometer tests of dark matter

Abstract

Direct detection experiments for dark matter are increasingly ruling out large parameter spaces. However, light dark matter models with particle masses $<\mathrm{GeV}$ are still largely unconstrained. Here we examine a proposal to use atom interferometers to detect a light dark matter subcomponent at sub-GeV masses. We describe the decoherence and phase shifts caused by dark matter scattering off of one ``arm'' of an atom interferometer using a generalized dark matter direct detection framework. This allows us to consider multiple channels: nuclear recoils, hidden photon processes, and axion interactions. We apply this framework to several proposed atom interferometer experiments. Because atom interferometers are sensitive to extremely low momentum deposition and their coherent atoms give them a boost in sensitivity, these experiments will be highly competitive and complementary to other direct detection methods. In particular, atom interferometers are uniquely able to probe a dark matter subcomponent with ${m}_{\ensuremath{\chi}}\ensuremath{\lesssim}10\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{keV}$. We find that, for a mediator mass ${m}_{\ensuremath{\phi}}={10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}{m}_{\ensuremath{\chi}}$, future atom interferometers could close a gap in the existing constraints on nuclear recoils down to ${\overline{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{n}\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}50}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ for ${m}_{\ensuremath{\chi}}\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}--{10}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}$ dark matter masses.