Light bullets and dynamic pattern formation in nonlinear dissipative systems

In the search for suitable new media for the propagation of (3+1) D optical light bullets, we show that nonlinear dissipation provides interesting possibilities. Using the complex cubic-quintic Ginzburg-Landau equation model with localized initial conditions, we are able to observe stable light bullet propagation or higher-order transverse pattern formation. The type of evolution depends on the model parameters. (c) 2005 Optical Society of America.