Transverse instabilities and pattern formation in two-beam-excited nonlinear optical interactions in liquids.
We describe observations of various transverse instabilities that occur when two laser beams intersect in nonlinear optical liquids. Patterns that we observe include two types of conical emission and the generation of a linear array of spots. These results can be understood in terms of the physical processes of self-diffraction, two-beam-excited conical emission, and seeded modulational instability.
Bentley
Sean J
SJ
The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA. bentley@adelphi.edu
Heebner
John E
JE
Boyd
Robert W
RW