All-Optical Control of Nonlinear Pattern Modes by Periodic Photonic Structures

We present experimental studies on manipulation of modulational instability in a nonlinear dissipative feedback system by a one- and two-dimensional periodic photonic lattice. In particular, we study the control of intrinsic instability modes of a photorefractive single feedback mirror system, by an optically induced lattice with variable parameters. By tuning the lattice strength and periodicity, we can induce patterns of particular geometry, suppress the modulational instability modes, or control the pattern orientation in the transverse plane.