Progress toward an ultralight dark matter search with ultracold SrOH molecules

Dark matter comprises most of the mass in the universe, but its microscopic properties remain unknown. One potential candidate for dark matter is ultralight dark matter (UDM), which can interact with Standard Model particles and induce oscillations in fundamental constants [1]. A near-degeneracy of different vibrational states of SrOH (characterized by stretching of the Sr-O bond and bending from a linear geometry, respectively) enables sensitive microwave probes of UDM oscillations [2]. We have recently demonstrated a magneto-optical trap (MOT) of SrOH [3], and present ongoing work to efficiently transfer the molecules into an optical dipole trap (ODT). Additionally, we discuss characterization of the UDM-sensitive “science states” using the MOT and ODT.

[1]: A. Arvanitaki, J. Huang, and K. Van Tilburg, Phys. Rev. D 91, 015015 (2015)

[2]: I. Kozyryev, Z. Lasner, and J. M. Doyle, Phys. Rev. A 103, 043313 (2021).

[3]: Z. Lasner et al., arXiv:2409.04948 (2024).