STATIONARY NONLINEAR SURFACE-WAVES AND THEIR STABILITY IN DIFFUSIVE KERR-LIKE NONLINEAR MEDIA

Stationary TE nonlinear surface waves at the interface separating two nonlinear diffusive Kerr-like media are computed for differing diffusion mechanisms and diffusion lengths. The stability of the surface waves on each branch of stationary solutions is determined by launching the appropriate wave and following its evolution, using the beam-propagation method. The stability criteria follow those determined earlier [J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 5, 559 (1988)] for non-diffusive Kerr media. The critical power necessary for observing surface waves is determined and shown to depend on the nature of the diffusion process. Analysis supports the observed numerical behavior of the diffusion coefficient at the interface as a function of increasing diffusion length. © 1990 Optical Society of America.