The Quiet Light Experiment: A Multilayer Search for Technosignatures via Quantum and Plasma-Filtered Light

This is to propose the Quiet Light Experiment (QLE), a multi-layer observational program designed to test whether subtle photonic properties in light from nearby stars could reveal either novel physics or engineered modulation. QLE is positioned within the broader, rapidly expanding technosignature search parameter space, targeting under-explored photonic degrees of freedom rarely addressed by conventional SETI methods. It begins by passing collected light through PhotonGate - a cold plasma chamber with a tuneable electromagnetic resonance field - hypothesised to act as a discriminating medium between ordinary photons and those exhibiting anomalous plasma–electron coupling. These anomalous photons, if present, may be “Host Photons” carrying spectral companions - a placeholder term for a hypothesised class of co-propagating particles or field excitations (e.g., axions, dark photons, exotic bosons) that subtly alter photon–plasma interactions. Surviving photons are subsequently interrogated for orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes, quantum statistical anomalies, temporal modulation, and fine spectral structure. While the primary motivation is to explore unconventional technosignature channels, each detection layer is designed to produce publishable results in astrophysics, quantum optics, and plasma physics independent of any positive SETI detection. This staged approach combines rigorous control experiments, precision instrumentation, and statistically robust detection criteria, ensuring that the QLE delivers valuable scientific outcomes under all result scenarios and maximises return on investment for both SETI and fundamental physics research.