A Modular Threaded Software Application for Axion Detection with DMRadio

The QCD axion, a well-motivated dark matter candidate, has faced a recent surge of experimental interest across a wide parameter space. The DMRadio suite of experiments are a series of resonant, lumped-element searches that will probe low mass axions below 1 ueV. The first experiment, DMRadio-50L, will target axions in the 5 kHz to 5 MHz range and is currently being commissioned at Stanford University. This talk will present an overview of the software ecosystem of DMRadio-50L data acquisition (DAQ) system, outlining its conceptual design, architecture, and transition to full operation in Fall 2026. More specifically, this talk will discuss our development process for a modular, multi-threaded software application called “Sequencer” that coordinates data collection, performs real-time calibration, and enables remote control and observability of detector operations. This package is the first complete implementation of an automated DAQ software for low-frequency lumped element resonant axion searches and draws from modern software engineering practices to ensure longevity, maintainability, and operational flexibility to serve the DMRadio suite of experiments for years to come. This talk will also emphasize the challenges associated with coordinating development and widespread adoption across a team of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars without formal software engineering backgrounds, and present specific workflow and architectural decisions as case studies that may be relevant for research software engineers developing software for a scientific audience.