Light from the hidden sector: Experimental signatures of paraphotons

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2007 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.76.115005· OSTI ID:21023949

Ahlers, M; Ringwald, A ^[1]; Gies, H ^[2]; Jaeckel, J ^[3]; Redondo, J ^[4]

---

1. Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22607 Hamburg (Germany)
2. Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Philosophenweg 16, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany)
3. Centre for Particle Theory, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE (United Kingdom)
4. Grup de Fisica Teorica and Institutde Fisica d'Altes Energies, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain)

Optical precision experiments are a powerful tool to explore hidden sectors of a variety of standard-model extensions with potentially tiny couplings to photons. An important example is given by extensions involving an extra light U(1) gauge degree of freedom, so-called paraphotons, with gauge-kinetic mixing with the normal photon. These models naturally give rise to minicharged particles which can be searched for with optical experiments. In this paper, we study the effects of paraphotons in such experiments. We describe in detail the role of a magnetic field for photon-paraphoton oscillations in models with low-mass minicharged particles. In particular, we find that the upcoming light-shining-through-walls experiments are sensitive to paraphotons and can distinguish them from axionlike particles.

• OSTI ID: 21023949
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Journal Name: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 76; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ACCURACY
DEGREES OF FREEDOM
GAUGE INVARIANCE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
OSCILLATIONS
PHOTONS
REST MASS
STANDARD MODEL
U-1 GROUPS