Unlocking the secrets of the universe by quantum sensing

by Prof. Kin Chung Fong (Northeastern University)

Thursday 13 Feb 2025, 15:00 → 17:00 Europe/Berlin

A.1.01/03 - Alps (New)

The nature of dark matter remains one of the greatest mysteries in physics. While traditional axion searches rely on resonator-based experiments with narrow bandwidths, the next frontier in detection demands a broader, more efficient approach. Our research on the graphene-based single-photon bolometer aims to revolutionize this search by developing an unprecedented single-photon detector with extreme sensitivity across a wide frequency range (100 GHz–10 THz). By leveraging the unique quantum properties of graphene-based sensors, we plan to provide high quantum efficiency, ultra-low dark counts, and a broadband response, accelerating axion searches by orders of magnitude. Unlike conventional resonant cavity techniques that require extensive scanning, our calorimetric detector will capture axion-induced photons efficiently in real time, potentially compressing decades of search time into mere days. In this talk, I will introduce the principles behind WIXARD’s quantum sensing technology, share our latest experimental results, and discuss how this novel approach will push the boundaries of fundamental physics. By enabling precision detection in the millimeter to far-infrared regime, WIXARD is poised to be a game-changer—not just for dark matter searches, but for a wide range of quantum sensing applications.

References:

1. B. Huang, et. al., “Calorimetric single-photon detector using graphene,” arXiv:2410.22433 (2024).
2. E. D. Walsh, et. al., “Josephson junction infrared single-photon detector,” Science 372, 409 (2021).
3. G.-H. Lee, et. al., “Graphene-based Josephson junction microwave bolometer,” Nature 586, 42 (2020).