  We study reflection and transmission of light at the interface between
different phases of a U(1) x U(1) gauge theory. On each side of the interface,
one can choose a basis so that one generator is free (allowing propagation of
light), and the orthogonal one may be free, Higgsed, or confined. However, the
basis on one side will in general be rotated relative to the basis on the other
by some angle alpha. We calculate reflection and transmission coefficients for
both polarizations of light and all 8 types of boundary, for arbitrary alpha.
We find that an observer measuring the behavior of light beams at the boundary
would be able to distinguish 4 different types of boundary, and we show how the
remaining ambiguity arises from the principle of complementarity
(indistinguishability of confined and Higgs phases) which leaves observables
invariant under a global electric/magnetic duality transformation. We also
explain the seemingly paradoxical behavior of Higgs/Higgs and confined/confined
boundaries, and clarify some previous arguments that confinement must involve
magnetic monopole condensation.
