Quantum-enhanced dark matter detection using Schrödinger cat states

Quantum metrology enables sensitive dark matter detection, particularly using nonclassical states, such as Schrödinger cat states featuring sub-Planck interference structures in microwave cavities. Here, we report the first experimental application of four-component Schrödinger cat states within a high-quality superconducting microwave cavity to detect dark photons, a potential dark matter candidate. We demonstrate an 8.1-fold enhancement in the signal photon rate and constrain the dark photon kinetic mixing angle to an unprecedented $ε< 7.32 \times 10^{-16}$ near 6.44~GHz (26.6~$μ$eV). By employing a parametric sideband drive to actively tune the cavity frequency, we achieve dark photon searches and background subtraction across multiple frequency bins, yielding a sensitivity at the $10^{-16}$ level within a 100~kHz bandwidth. Our Schrödinger's cat-assisted detection (SCaD) scheme demonstrates a substantial improvement over previous results, promising potential implications in quantum-enhanced searches for new physics.