We report the first results of a search for real photon-photon scattering using X rays. A novel system is developed to split and collide X-ray pulses by applying interferometric techniques. A total of $6.5\times10^{ 5}$ pulses (each containing about $10^{ 11}$ photons) from an X-ray Free-Electron Laser are injected into the system. No scattered events are observed, and an upper limit of $1.7\times 10^{ -24}$ ${ \rm m^{ 2}}$ (95% C.L.) is obtained on the photon-photon elastic scattering cross section at 6.5 keV.
Categories: hep-ex physics.ins-det physics.optics