Dynamics of switching waves in the optically bistable scheme based on the interaction of counterpropagating waves

The existence of switching waves in the scheme based on the interaction of counterpropagating waves in a nonlinear medium upon reflection of one of th em from a screen having an aperture at the axis is shown. It is noted that the generation of the switching waves crucially depends on the duration and shape of the acting pulse. The main criterion for a choice of these charac teristics of the signal pulse is the spatial-time instability of interactio n of the light waves developing in the system and resulting in complex osci llations of the output power of the light beam. The oblique incidence of a light beam on the screen results in a decrease in the contrast of switching because of the mixing of the beams.