Fundamental Physics Searches using Atomic Magnetometers

In this talk, I will present the recent activities on fundamental physics searches using atomic magnetometers (AMs) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. AMs based on lasers and alkali-metal vapor cells are currently the most sensitive non-cryogenic magnetic-field sensor. Our researches have a potential to address some of the most profound physics puzzles–the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the Universe and the existence of dark matter making up ~25% of the Universe. Our experiments aim to search for new fundamental bosonic particles, such as axions, using new detection concepts based on AMs via observable effects induced by new couplings of new bosonic particles with ordinary particles. Due to the use of AMs, our experiments are relatively small projects at low cost.