Search for sub-electronvolt solar axions using coherent conversion of axions into photons in magnetic field and gas helium

Abstract

A search for solar axions has been performed using an axion helioscope which is equipped with a 2.3m-long 4T superconducting magnet, PIN-photodiode X-ray detectors, and a telescope mount mechanism to track the sun. In addition, a gas container to hold dispersion-matching gas has been developed and a mass region up to m_a=0.27eV was newly explored. From the absence of any evidence, analysis sets a limit on axion-photon coupling constant to be $g_{a\gamma\gamma}<6.8-10.9\times10^{-10}GeV^{-1}$ for the axion mass of 0.05<m_a<0.27eV at 95% confidence level, which is more stringent than the limit inferred from the solar-age consideration. This result gives currently the most stringent observational limit on the existence of solar axions in this mass region.