Self-similar domain growth, localized structures, and labyrinthine patterns in vectorial Kerr resonators

We study domain growth in a nonlinear optical system useful to explore diff erent scenarios that might occur in systems which do not relax to thermodyn amic equilibrium. Domains correspond to equivalent states of different circ ular polarization of light. We describe three dynamical regimes: a coarseni ng regime in which dynamical scaling holds with a growth law dictated by cu rvature effects, a regime in which localized structures form, and a regime in which polarization domain walls are modulationally unstable and the syst em freezes in a labyrinthine pattern.