Nonlinear optics is the branch of nonlinear wave research that describes the behavior of light in nonlinear media, that is, media in which the polarization responds nonlinearly to the electric field of the light.

Researchers can typically only observe this nonlinearity at very high light intensities, such as the light provided by pulsed lasers.

Nonlinear Waves at Rensselaer

At Rensselaer, researchers study nonlinear wave-like phenomena in resonant optical materials, random soliton dynamics, waves in meta-materials with negative refractive index, waves and patterns in neuronal networks.

Faculty Researchers

Ashwani Kapila
Gregor Kovacic
Yuri Lvov
Victor Roytburd
Donald Schwendeman