Nonlinear Propagation of Crossing Electromagnetic Waves in Vacuum due to Photon-Photon Scattering

TL;DR

This paper reviews photon-photon scattering in vacuum, proposes a simple experiment to detect it using ultrahigh power lasers, and discusses potential to observe or improve limits on this nonlinear electromagnetic phenomenon.

Contribution

It introduces a novel, simple experimental proposal for detecting photon-photon scattering with current and future laser facilities.

Findings

Proposes a sensitive experimental setup for photon-photon scattering detection.

Discusses potential to observe scattering or improve experimental limits.

Reviews theoretical background and previous experimental efforts.

Abstract

We review the theory for photon-photon scattering in vacuum, and some of the proposals for its experimental search, including the results of our recent works on the subject. We then describe a very simple and sensitive proposal of an experiment and discuss how it can be used at the present (HERCULES) and the future (ELI) ultrahigh power laser facilities either to find the first evidence of photon-photon scattering in vacuum, or to significantly improve the current experimental limits.