Photon-photon elastic scattering in the visible domain

We are investigating the direct detection of photon-photon elastic scattering at optical energies. In a first experiment using two high-intensity pulsed laser beams, we have explored the feasibility of the method, and in particular the rejection of back-ground noise. We obtained an upper limit of the photon-photon elastic scattering cross section at 95% confidence level of 10(-39) cm(2). This limit can be lowered by twenty orders of magnitude by stimulating the scattering by a third beam, and by using high repetition rate existing lasers.