Abstract

Solitary wave solutions of nonlinear propagation equations is a fascinating topic of nonlinear dynamics. Analysis of their stability and nonlinear evolution properties is one of the most crucial parts in the problem of self-trapping of optical beams. Two-dimensional (stripe) beams, including solitary wave solutions, are unstable in bulk nonlinear media. The reason is that in the bulk media these beams constitute a low-dimensional (1 + 1) subclass of higher-dimensional (2 + 1) allowable solutions and break up because of transverse instabilities along the "hidden" homogeneous coordinate. We present a spectrum of experimental and theoretical data demonstrating all stages of breakup and subsequent complex spatial evolution of stripe beams for both a focusing and defocusing photorefractive nonlinear response.

© 1996 Optical Society of America