Electric discharge in vacuum by minicharged particles

Abstract

We discuss the possibility of a laboratory search for light minicharged particles carrying electric charge that is a small fraction $ϵ$ of that of electron. We point out that the production of pairs of such particles in an electric field would result in a measurable discharge in vacuum of electrically charged objects. A realistic experiment may be sensitive to such particles at least down to $ϵ\sim 10^{-8}$ if their mass is below $\sim 10^{-4}$eV.

Comments: 7 pages