Searching for exotic spin-dependent interactions using rotationally modulated source masses and an atomic magnetometer array

Abstract

We describe a proposed experimental search for exotic spin-dependent interactions using rotationally modulated source masses and an atomic magnetometer array. Rather than further improving the magnetometer sensitivity, noise reduction can be another way to reach higher measurement precision. In this work, we propose to use modulating techniques of the source masses to reduce the noise of the experiment. Better precision can be achieved if the fundamental frequency and harmonics of the rotating source masses are used to detect the new interactions. Furthermore, if an array of magnetometers are applied, the statistical precision can be improved, and some common-mode noises can be canceled. Our analysis and simulations indicate that the proposed experiment scheme can improve the detection precisions of three types of spin-dependent interactions by as much as ∼5 orders of magnitude in the force range of ∼cm to ∼10 m.