Abstract

Spontaneous pattern formation is a general feature in dissipative nonlinear systems. While optics is fairly late in studying these phenomena, evidence has been given recently that optical experiments on pattern formation can be modelled fairly accurately and can give a lot of meaningful information. Passive systems, i. e. systems which need the input of coherent light as the source of energy, appear to be particularly attractive in this respect. Here we focus our attention on the well-known scheme analyzed by Firth and d'Alessandro [1]. It is composed of a thin slice of a Kerr medium and a single feedback mirror. Corresponding experiments have been performed by means of liquid and photorefractive crystals, while liquid crystal light valves have been used as a substitute [2].

© 1996 IEEE