Optomechanical dark matter detection

Recently it has been proposed to search for dark matter using mechanical sensors, exploiting the fact that all dark matter candidates couple to the size or position of atoms. While focus has been directed towards analyzing signal from gravitational wave detectors and equivalence principle tests, a unique opportunity has emerged to develop compact detectors based on cavity optomechanical systems, which have recently achieved force measurements at the quantum limit. I'll discuss this concept from an experimentalist's perspective, highlighting systems based on levitated dielectrics, silicon nitride membranes, and bulk acoustic wave resonators which are beginning to play an early role. In this context, our lab is developing a new generation of ultra-sensitive optomechanical accelerometers based on centimeter-scale silicon nitride membranes. References: [1] Manley et. al., PRL 126(6), 061301(2021) [2] Carney et. al., QST 6(2), 024002 (2021) [3] Manley et. al., PRL 124(15), 151301 (2020)