Attractors and auto-oscillations for feedback controlled photorefractive beam coupling

We investigate the physics of a novel nonlinear system, feedback controlled photorefractive beam coupling. Inertia of the electronic feedback is found to be an element crucial for permanent operation of this system. Theoretically and experimentally we have found a wealth of periodic and quasi-periodic regimes for observable characteristics of the feedback controlled wave coupling. A good qualitative agreement between theory and experiment is obtained for LiNbO 3 crystals.