2–4 Sept 2026
Institut Henri Poincaré (IHP)
Europe/Zurich timezone

Quantum Magnetometry In Search of Dark Matter

2 Sept 2026, 15:50
40m
Amphithéâtre Hermite (Institut Henri Poincaré (IHP))

Amphithéâtre Hermite

Institut Henri Poincaré (IHP)

11 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris

Speaker

Itay Bloch

Description

When bosonic Dark Matter (DM) has an ultra-light mass, it acts as a classical, coherent field. In many cases, and specifically for many models of axion-like-particles, this field has a magnetic-like effect on spins, and can therefore be measured by spin-based quantum magnetometers. In this seminar, I will explain the workings of quantum magnetometers, focusing on comagnetometers, which simultaneously utilize several species of atoms to achieve a variety of benefits. I will discuss my work on the self compensating comagnetometer, and spotlight my proposal for a new sensor called the RoW comag, which I plan to build in my up and coming lab. I will also discuss my work as one of the founding members of the Noble and Alkali Spin Detectors for Ultralight Coherent darK matter (NASDUCK) collaboration, which was formed a few years ago to measure DM with magnetometers. I will also touch upon my current involvement in multiple other spin-based magnetometry ideas, including ones that might one day connect to new directions such as measuring observables in colliders.

Presentation materials