Nonlinear X-wave

Nonlinear X-wave schematic view

In physics, a nonlinear X-wave (NLX) is a multi-dimensional wave that can travel without distortion.

At variance with X-waves, a nonlinear X-wave does exist in the presence of nonlinearity, and in many cases it self-generates from a Gaussian (in any direction) wave packet.

The distinctive feature of an NLX is its "biconical" shape, (see figure) which appears as an "X" in any section plane containing the wave peak and the direction of propagation.

So far, nonlinear X-waves have been only observed in nonlinear optics experiments, and have been predicted to occur in a variety of nonlinear media including Bose–Einstein condensates.

References and history

• Preliminary experimental results were reported CLEO/QELS conference in 2001
• The first article appeared in the arXiv:physics archive in 2002 . It was later published in the Physical Review Letters: Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 170406 (2003) and reported on the theoretical prediction of the existence of nonlinear X-waves.
• The first experimental results, originally published in the arXiv:physics archive , appeared in the Physical Review Letters in 2003: Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 093904 (2003)

External links

• VINO The Virtual Institute for Nonlinear Optics is a research collaboration devoted to the investigation of X-waves and conical waves in general.
• Nolinear X-waves page at the nlo.phys.uniroma1.it website.