Interaction of travelling waves with counter-propagating localised structures in a LCLV experiment

Summary form only given. Travelling waves and localised structures (LS) along with their mutual interaction are created and investigated using a two dimensional optical feedback system based upon a liquid crystal light valve (LCLV). To create the travelling waves a geometrical transformation is applied to the feedback in the form of a lateral shift, created by tilting a glass block. By selecting the right parameters and by varying only the applied lateral shift and the input pump power travelling waves that move in the opposite direction to the shift are observed. For a given lateral shift the onset of these waves is observed at a critical value of the pump power. Measurements have been made so as to characterise the variation of critical pump power with shift for the onset of waves.