Improved constraints on monopole–dipole interaction mediated by pseudo-scalar bosons

Abstract

We present a more stringent upper limit on long-range axion-mediated forces obtained by the QUAX-gpgs experiment, located at the INFN – Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro. By measuring variations of a paramagnetic GSO crystal magnetization with a dc-SQUID magnetometer we investigate the possible coupling between electron spins and unpolarized nucleons in lead disks. The induced magnetization can be interpreted as the effect of a long-range spin dependent interaction mediated by axions or Axion Like Particles (ALPs). The corresponding coupling strength is proportional to the CP violating term gpegsN, i.e. the product of the pseudoscalar and scalar coupling constants of electron and nucleon, respectively. Our upper limit is more constraining than previous ones in the interaction range 0.01 m<λa<0.2 m, with a best result on gpegsN/(ħc) of 4.3×10−30 at 95% confidence level in the interval 0.1 m<λa<0.2 m. We eventually discuss our plans to improve the QUAX-gpgs sensitivity by a few orders of magnitude, which will allow us to investigate the ϑ≃10−10 range of CP-violating parameter and test some QCD axion models. Keywords: CP violation, Spin-dependent interactions, Long-range interactions, Axions, Axion-like particles