Detection of the cosmic neutrino background

Determine how to detect the cosmic neutrino background, whose low energy and weak interaction strength make direct observation difficult, in order to improve understanding of the early universe and the nature of neutrinos.

Background

The paper studies the possibility of detecting relic neutrinos through their hypothesized electromagnetic interaction with photons mediated by a neutrino magnetic moment. It proposes a single-arm laser interferometer with spatially separated squeezing and anti-squeezing devices, and estimates sensitivities under standard quantum, Heisenberg, and super-Heisenberg operating regimes.

Despite the projected sensitivity of the proposed interferometer, the cosmic neutrino background itself has not yet been detected. The authors therefore identify its detection as an unresolved problem of modern physics, motivated both by cosmology and by the possibility of learning more about neutrino properties.