Probing dark matter with polarimetry techniques

TL;DR

This paper proposes novel polarimetry experiments using Fabry-Pérot cavities to detect low-mass bosonic dark matter, such as axions, by observing oscillatory effects on optical properties, enhancing detection sensitivity.

Contribution

It introduces new polarimetry configurations with cavity setups that are highly sensitive to scalar and axion-like dark matter, expanding experimental search methods.

Findings

Sensitive to scalar field dark matter via thickness and refractive index variations

Reconfiguration with quarter-wave plates enhances axion-like particle detection

Cross-correlation of twin polarimeters can explore new parameter space

Abstract

In this work, we propose polarimetry experiments to search for low-mass (sub-eV) bosonic field dark matter, including axions and axion-like particles. We show that a polarimetry configuration consisting of a thick birefringent solid inside a Fabry-P\'erot cavity is exceptionally sensitive to scalar field dark matter, which may cause oscillatory variations in the solid's thickness and refractive index. In addition, we show that a reconfiguration of this polarimetry experiment, in which two quarter-wave plates are placed inside the Fabry-P\'erot cavity instead of a thick birefringent solid, is very sensitive to axion-like particles. We investigate the possibility of using cross-correlation of twin polarimeters to increase the sensitivity of the experiment, which in turn could allow us to explore unexplored parts of the parameter space and potentially detect a signal in either dark matter scenario.