title: Azimuthal modulation instability for a cylindrically polarized wave in a nonlinear Kerr medium.
abstract: Inhomogeneously polarized optical waves form a class of nonlinear vector wave propagation that has not been widely studied in the literature. We find a modulation instability only when the wave has nonzero ellipticity in a medium where the Kerr nonlinearity possesses opposite handness. Under the modulation instability the wave develops an azimuthally periodic shape with two or four peaks.
authors.forename: Joseph W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Haus
authors.forename: Zasim
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mozumder
authors.forename: Qiwen
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhan