STAX: a new technique for detecting Axions

An improved detection scheme for a light-shining-through-wall (LSW) experiment for axion-like particle searches is discussed. In this proposal it is suggested the use of gyrotrons as source of photons, which can provide extremely intense fluxes at frequencies around 30 GHz; transition- edge-sensors (TES) single photon detectors in this frequency domain, with efficiency ≈ 1; high quality factor Fabry-Perot cavities in the microwave domain, both on the photon-axion conversion and photon regeneration sides. With this set-up, current laboratory exclusion limits on axion-like particles might be improved by at least four orders of magnitude for axion masses 0.02 meV.