The ADMX ultra-low noise receiver

Finding axions would finally point to the solution to the ``strong CP problem'' in QCD and uncover the nature of the Mily Way's dark-matter halo. The Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX) is a sensitive search for such axions. ADMX looks for the exceedingly tiny amount of power that would be released in the very weak conversion of dark-matter axions to photons. The key to the sensitivity of ADMX is a microwave receiver sensitive to sub-yoctowatt electromagnetic power. ADMX is currently being upgraded to a lower noise temperature and a new receiver design that has the sub-Hz spectral resolution necessary for the detection of even exotic non-virialized axion dark-matter halo models. I discuss the simulation nature of the axion signal and the calibration of this receiver using simulated axion signals.