Nonlinear optical catastrophe from a smooth initial beam.
We observed an optical cusp diffraction catastrophe with an initially smooth but elongated Gaussian beam with an aspect ratio of 2:1. Nonlinear and linear diffraction regimes account for the near-field elliptical annulus and the far-field spatially complex astroid.
Deykoon
A M
AM
Soskin
M S
MS
Swartzlander
G A
GA