title: Monitor-outside-a-monitor effect and self-similar fractal structure in the eigenmodes of unstable optical resonators.
abstract: A novel mechanism is proposed for the generation of self-similar structure over a limited range of length scales. Our mechanism, which we call the monitor-outside-a-monitor effect, comprises repeated magnification and addition of small-scale structure. We invoke this mechanism to explain recent observations of fractal structure in the eigenmodes of unstable optical resonators [G. P. Karman et al., Nature (London) 402, 138 (1999)].
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Courtial
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Padgett