Macroscopic Coherent Axion Production by Reverse Parametric Fluorescence

Abstract

We propose a macroscopically coherent laboratory source of axion-like particles (ALPs) through the axion--electron coupling \(g_{ae}\). Two counterpropagating optical modes drive reverse parametric fluorescence in a crystal, where two pump photons are converted into a relativistic ALP through virtual ionic transitions, while the medium returns to its initial state. Phase matching enables emission amplitudes from many ions to add coherently without preparing material coherence. The pump frequencies determine the ALP energy, making the source continuously tunable. The production rate scales with the product of the two pump powers and the square of the source length. Resonant absorption followed by fluorescence completes the detection scheme. For benchmark crystal and laser parameters, a one-year operation gives a reach of \(g_{ae}\simeq2.8\times10^{-11}\), substantially improving the sensitivity of purely laboratory-based searches for low-mass ALPs.