Among these advancements is the Broadband Reflector Experiment for Axion Detection (BREAD), which aims to directly search for bosonic dark matter in the mass range of 1-100 meV. BREAD proposes an innovative method for detecting dark matter particles using a cylindrical metal barrel designed to convert dark matter into photons, which are then focused onto a photosensor by a novel parabolic reflector design.
The experiment’s design involves a cylindrical metal barrel that serves as a resonant cavity. This cavity is tuned to the expected frequency of the dark matter particles, and any interactions between the dark matter and the barrel walls will result in the conversion of the dark matter into photons. These photons are then focused onto a highly sensitive photosensor by a parabolic reflector, allowing for the detection of the dark matter signal.