Quantum-Enhanced Dark Matter Search Using Cat States

Physical Review Letters 2026 Open access

Read full text
Authors: Pan Zheng, Yanyan Cai, Bin Xu, Shengcheng Wen, Libo Zhang, Zhongchu Ni, Jiasheng Mai, Yanjie Zeng, Lin Lin, Ling Hu, Xiaowei Deng, Song Liu
+3 more Jing Shu, Yuan Xu, Dapeng Yu
DOI: 10.1103/wbhn-v1sw
Cited by: 4
References: 62

Abstract

Quantum metrology has recently emerged as a powerful approach for dark matter (DM) searches, particularly using nonclassical bosonic states in microwave cavities that are sensitive to weak signals. Nonclassical cat states-macroscopic superpositions of coherent states featuring sub-Planck interference structures-offer promising advantages for high-precision measurements. However, their practical utility in DM search remains unexplored. Here, we report the first experimental application of four-component cat states within a high-quality superconducting microwave cavity to search for dark photons, a potential DM candidate. We demonstrate an 8.1-fold enhancement in the signal photon rate and constrain the dark photon kinetic mixing angle to an unprecedented ε

Fields of Study & Subjects

Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena Quantum Information and Cryptography

Publication details

Journal / source
Physical Review Letters
Publisher
American Physical Society (APS)
Volume
136
Issue
17
Pages
171002–171002
Publication date
25 March 2026
Language
EN