Experimental test of symmetron-field based dark energy model using neutron interferometry

Abstract

We report phase shift measurements of neutron matter waves propagating in vacuum and low-pressure Argon gas, using a technique developed for neutron interferometric scattering length measurements. The experiment probes additional phase shifts induced by couplings to scalar fields. From the absence of such effects, we set stringent constraints on a scalar symmetron-field, a leading candidate for quintessence dark energy.