OPTICAL MORPHOGENESIS - PATTERN-FORMATION AND COMPETITION IN NONLINEAR OPTICS

Pattern formation and competition occurs in a non-linear extended dynamical system if dissipation allows for attracting sets, independently of initial conditions. Most reported patterns are still dependent on boundary conditions. This dependency disappears in chemical Turing patterns emerging from reaction-diffusion dynamics. Also in diffraction-diffusion dynamics, as the one ruling an optical field coupled to a polarizable medium, similar phenomena can occur. A review of recent optical experiments is presented, including a discussion on suitable indicators which characterize the different regimes as well as the modelling of the various phenomena. Furthermore possible applications to quantum mechanics are sketched.