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First Search for Ultralight Dark Matter Using a Magnetically Levitated Particle

Dorian W. P. Amaral1,*, Dennis G. Uitenbroek2, Tjerk H. Oosterkamp2, and Christopher D. Tunnell1

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, MS-315, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
  • 2Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands

  • *Contact author: dorian.amaral@rice.edu
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 251001 – Published 24 June, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.251001

Abstract

We perform the first search for ultralight dark matter using a magnetically levitated particle. A submillimeter permanent magnet is levitated in a superconducting trap with a measured force sensitivity of 0.2  fN/Hz. We find no evidence of a signal and derive limits on dark matter coupled to the difference between baryon and lepton number, B−L, in the mass range (1.10360−1.10485)×10−13  eV/c2. Our most stringent limit on the coupling strength is gB−L≲2.98×10−21. We propose the POLONAISE (Probing Oscillations using Levitated Objects for Novel Accelerometry In Searches of Exotic physics) experiment, which features short-, medium-, and long-term upgrades that will give us leading sensitivity in a wide mass range, demonstrating the promise of this novel quantum sensing technology in the hunt for dark matter.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 251001– Published 24 June, 2025
  • Received 24 September 2024
  • Revised 6 March 2025
  • Accepted 24 April 2025
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