Axion Dark Matter Searches with AMO techniques

We have developed a system for measuring nuclear spin energy splittings with unprecedented stability and sensitivity. Using this we have begun a search for axionic dark matter across a wide-range of masses, including the particularly interesting ``Fuzzy’’ dark matter scenario. Our system consists of highly polarized Helium 3 and Neon 21, whose precession is monitored by a colocated spin-exchange-relaxation-free Rb-magnetometer. The Rb magnetometer readout allows very sensitive measurement of the nuclear-spin magnetization, but also introduces large shifts in their energy levels. Understanding and controlling these shifts is the main experimental issue in our system. I will discuss the experimental challenges and our solutions thus far, as well as showing preliminary results of searching for ``Fuzzy’’ dark matter axions with this system.