We show that a laser beam can be diffracted by a more concentrated light pulse due to quantum vacuum effects. We compute analytically the intensity pattern in a realistic experimental configuration, and discuss how it can be used to measure the parameters describing photon-photon scattering in vacuum. In particular, we show that the quantum electrodynamics prediction can be detected in a single-shot experiment at future 100-PW lasers such as ELI or HIPER. On the other hand, if carried out at one of the present high-power facilities, such as OMEGA EP, this proposal can lead either to the discovery of nonstandard physics or to substantial improvement in the current limits by PVLAS collaboration on the photon-photon cross section at optical wavelengths. This example of manipulation of light by light is simpler to realize and more sensitive than existing, alternative proposals, and can also be used to test Born-Infeld theory or to search for axionlike or minicharged particles.

• Received 24 March 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.82.011803