Light Shining Through a Thin Wall: Evanescent Hidden Photon Detection

Abstract

A kinetically-mixed hidden photon is sourced as an evanescent mode by electromagnetic fields that oscillate at a frequency smaller than the hidden photon mass. These evanescent modes fall off exponentially with distance, but nevertheless yield detectable signals in a photon regeneration experiment if the electromagnetic barrier is made sufficiently thin. We consider such an experiment using superconducting cavities at GHz frequencies, proposing various cavity and mode arrangements that enable unique sensitivity to hidden photon masses ranging from $10^{-5}$ eV to $ 10^{-1}$ eV.