Scroggie, AJ, Firth, WJ, Mcdonald, GS, Tlidi, M, Lefever, R and Lugiato, LA 1994, 'Pattern formation in a passive Kerr cavity' , Chaos, Solitons and Fractals, 4 (8-9) , pp. 1323-1354.

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Abstract

Analytical and numerical investigations of a cavity containing a Kerr medium are reported. The mean field equation with plane-wave excitation and diffraction is assumed. Stable hexagons are dominant close to threshold for a self-focusing medium. Bistable switching frustrates pattern formation for a self-defocusing medium. Under appropriate parametric conditions that we identify, there is a coexistence of a homogeneous stationary solution, of a hexagonal pattern solution and of a hexagonal state. Further above threshold, the hexagons show defects, and then break up with apparent turbulence. For Gaussian beam excitation, the different symmetry leads to polygon formation for narrow beams, but quasihexagonal structures appear for broader beams.

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