Amplifying the ambient axion: a deep dive to discern the dark matter

Quantum sensors are the keystone of axion dark matter searches. Sensitivity to the QCD axion was first made possible through the advent of the quantum amplifiers, in combination with a resonant cavity immersed in a magnetic field. I will provide a brief history of the search for the axion and the synergistic evolution of superconducting circuits. Additionally, I will show recent results from the Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX) and the DMRadio experiment. The future coverage of the axion parameter space hinges on our abilities to push the sensitivity of our detectors beyond current limits. I will therefore lay out a vision to achieve this sensitivity through a combination of novel detector designs and sensors that operate beyond the Standard Quantum Limit (SQL).