Abstract

Photon-photon scattering in a vacuum¹ is perhaps one of the most fundamental mechanisms which can give rise to nonlinear optical effects. This interaction may contribute to the birefringence of the refractive index² seen by a probe field under the action of either a dc magnetic (or electric) field or intense laser pumping as well as to multiwave mixing processes.³ Here we demonstrate the feasibility of new nonlinear magnetooptical effects in a vacuum that gives rise to optical second harmonic generation (SHG) of the fundamental wave under the action of both strong dc magnetic field H₀ and high intensity optical laser radiation.⁴

© 1990 Optical Society of America