EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF SOLITARY STRUCTURES IN A NONLINEAR-OPTICAL FEEDBACK-SYSTEM

We investigate phenomena of spontaneous pattern formation in a nonline ar optical feedback experiment using an optically addressable liquid c rystal light valve in the polarization mode as a nonlinear optical ele ment. Depending on the initial detuning, transitions between different types of patterns are observed. In a certain range of this control pa rameter the evolution of bright solitary spots is examined and the typ ical scaling behavior of noncritical slowing down in the switching cha racteristics is found.