The quest for axions and other new light particles

Abstract

Standard Model extensions often predict low-mass and very weakly interacting particles, such as the axion. A number of small-scale experiments at the intensity/precision frontier are actively searching for these elusive particles, complementing searches for physics beyond the Standard Model at colliders. Whilst a next generation of experiments will give access to a huge unexplored parameter space, a discovery would have a tremendous impact on our understanding of fundamental physics.

Developed from a contribution to the Open Symposium of the European Strategy Preparatory Group, 10-12 September 2012, Krakow; 9 pages, 3 figures