Abstract

Two counterpropagating waves in a Kerr medium were shown to exhibit instabilities, which lead to self-oscillations, bifurcations, and chaos.¹ These instabilities, as well as self-oscillation phenomena in bistable systems, can be explained by a gain-feedback mechanism.² Fields at frequencies adjacent to the input pump-wave frequency can be amplified through four-wave-mixing interactions. If feedback is supplied, sidebands at these frequencies can be excited and beat with the pump wave to yield an oscillating output. In a counterpropagating-beam configuration, the feedback is distributed, and it originates from the grating that is formed by the interfering beams.

© 1984 Optical Society of America