Ultrasensitive optomechanical detection of an axion-mediated force based on a sharp peak emerging in probe absorption spectrum

Abstract

Axion remains the most convincing solution to the strong-CP problem and a well-motivated dark matter candidate, causing the search for axions and axion-like particles(ALPs) to attract attention continually. The exchange of such particles may cause anomalous spin-dependent forces, inspiring many laboratory ALP searching experiments based on the detection of macroscopic monopole–dipole interactions between polarized electrons/nucleons and unpolarized nucleons. Since there is no exact proof of the existence of these interactions, to detect them is still of great significance. In the present paper, we study the electron–nucleon monopole–dipole interaction with a new method, in which a hybrid spin-nanocantilever optomechanical system consisting of a nitrogen-vacancy(NV) center and a nanocantilever resonator is used. With a static magnetic field and a pump microwave beam and a probe microwave beam applied, a probe absorption spectrum could be obtained. Through specific peaks appearing in the spectrum, we can identify this monopole–dipole interaction. And we also provide a prospective constraint to constrain the interaction. Furthermore, because our method can also be applied to the detection of some other spin-dependent interactions, this work provides new ideas for the experimental searches of the anomalous spin-dependent interactions.