Optical modulational instability in a nonlocal medium

M. Peccianti, C. Conti, and G. Assanto

Phys. Rev. E 68, 025602 (2003)

Abstract:

We report the first observation of modulational instability in nematic liquid crystals encompassing a nonlocal behavior. The experimental results are quantitatively compared with the theory revealing the fundamental features associated to a nonlocal nonlinearity.