The Discovery Potential of Laser Polarization Experiments

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the Standard Model contributions to vacuum magnetic birefringence and dichroism experiments, highlighting their potential to detect new physics by analyzing photon splitting, neutrino pairs, and gravitons.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed calculation of Standard Model effects on polarization experiments, clarifying their role as backgrounds in new physics searches.

Findings

Standard Model predicts measurable birefringence and dichroism signals

Photon splitting, neutrino pairs, and gravitons contribute to dichroism

Results inform the sensitivity needed for future experiments

Abstract

Currently, a number of experiments are searching for vacuum magnetic birefringence and dichroism, i.e. for dispersive and absorptive features in the propagation of polarized light along a transverse magnetic field in vacuum. In this note we calculate the Standard Model contributions to these signatures, thereby illuminating the discovery potential of such experiments in the search for new physics. We discuss the three main sources for a Standard Model contribution to a dichroism signal: photon splitting, neutrino pair production and production of gravitons.