First results from the Axion Dark-Matter Birefringent Cavity (ADBC) experiment

Axions and axion-like particles are strongly motivated dark matter candidates that are the subject of many current ground based dark matter searches. We present first results from the Axion Dark-Matter Birefringent Cavity (ADBC) experiment, which is an optical bow-tie cavity probing the axion-induced birefringence of electromagnetic waves. Our experiment is the first optical axion detector that is tunable and quantum noise limited, making it sensitive to a wide range of axion masses. We have iteratively probed the axion mass range 40.9-43.3neV/c^2, 49.3-50.6neV/c^2, and 54.4-56.7neV/c^2, and found no dark matter signal. On average, we constrain the ALP-photon coupling at the level g_aγγ≤ 1.9× 10^-8 GeV^-1. We also present prospects for future axion dark matter detection experiments using optical cavities.