title: Optical spatial shock waves in photorefractive media
abstract: We show that the evolution equations describing the two-wave mixing interaction between two codirectional optical beams in photorefractive media can allow spatial shock-wave solutions. Our analysis indicates that these kink-type wavefronts move together at an angle that falls outside the initial +/-straight theta sector of propagation. The apparent direction of propagation and the spatial widths of these optical shock-wave beams are directly related to their relative intensity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering and Computers, Oporto University, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Grandpierre
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Christodoulides
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Segev