2004/12/26 by Holger Mueller
Physics and Astronomy · #hep-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.71.045004
published as Phys.Rev. D71 (2005) 045004 · 15 pages, 8 tables
arxiv created 2004/12/26 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01
We consider tests of Lorentz invariance for the photon and fermion sector that use vacuum and matter-filled cavities. Assumptions on the wave-function of the electrons in crystals are eliminated from the underlying theory and accurate sensitivity coefficients (including some exceptionally large ones) are calculated for various materials. We derive the Lorentz-violating shift in the index of refraction n, which leads to additional sensitivity for matter-filled cavities ; and to birefringence in initially isotropic media. Using published experimental data, we obtain improved bounds on Lorentz violation for photons and electrons at levels of 10-15 and below. We discuss implications for future experiments and propose a new Michelson-Morley type experiment based on birefringence in matter.