Generation of harmonics by a focused laser beam in the vacuum

We consider generation of odd harmonics by a super strong focused laser beam in the vacuum. The process occurs due to the plural light-by-light scattering effect. In the leading order of perturbation theory, generation of (2k + 1)th harmonic is described by a loop diagram with (2k + 2) external incoming, and two outgoing legs. A frequency of the beam is assumed to be much smaller than the Compton frequency, so that the approximation of a constant uniform electromagnetic field is valid locally. Analytical expressions for angular distribution of generated photons, as well as for their total emission rate are obtained in the leading order of perturbation theory. Influence of higher-order diagrams is studied numerically using the formalism of Intense Field QED. It is shown that the process may become observable for the beam intensity of the order of 10(27) W/cm(2). (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.