Cryogenic System Installed to Detect Axions, Potential Dark Matter Component

Scientists at Wright Lab achieved a milestone on February 24 with the successful installation of a Bluefors cryogenic dilution refrigerator as part of the Axion Longitudinal Plasma Haloscope (ALPHA) experiment. This advancement brings researchers closer to detecting axions, hypothetical light particles considered a potential component of dark matter, which constitutes approximately 27% of the universe. The cryogenic system is crucial, capable of cooling equipment to around 10 millikelvins, near absolute zero. According to Yale physicist Michael Jewell, maintaining extremely low temperatures is essential for minimizing noise and enabling the operation of quantum amplifiers needed for axion detection. The next phase involves equipment calibration and initiating axion detection experiments. Researchers believe that even negative results will refine search parameters, accelerating the discovery process in modern physics.