9457481 Swartzlander The five-year experimental effort will be executed in three phases. (I) Develop techniques (generation and control of vortices using computer-generated holograms or spatial light modulators, preparation of materials), laboratory and numerical experiments, proof-of-concept demonstrations of novel lightwave technologies (optical interconnection and logic, optical trapping, nonlinear spatial filtering, sensing) using thermal nonlinear media, form cross-disciplinary collaborations (some are already underway), train Ph.D. and B.S. students, prepare lab for phase II. (II) Obtain state-of-the-art nonlinear materials from collaborators (semiconductors, liquid crystals, atomic vapors, doped glasses), demonstrate photonic devices, perform linear and nonlinear experiments with optical vortex traps. (III) Establish industrial contacts for technology transfer, identify novel nonlinear applications including neural network schemes and self-organizing structures, address fundamental issues such as optical turbulence, chaos, and nonlinear scattering from single or clustered atoms. ***
