Alpenglow - A Signature for Chameleons in Axion-Like Particle Search Experiments

Abstract

We point out that chameleon field theories might reveal themselves as an 'afterglow' effect in axion-like particle search experiments due to chameleon-photon conversion in a magnetic field. We estimate the parameter space which is accessible by currently available technology and find that afterglow experiments could constrain this parameter space in a way complementary to gravitational and Casimir force experiments.In addition, one could reach photon-chameleon couplings which are beyond the sensitivity of common laser polarization experiments. We also sketch the idea of a Fabry-Perot cavity with chameleons which could increase the experimental sensitivity significantly.