Interaction of Counter-propagating Elliptically Polarized Light Waves in Isotropic Nonlinear Media

The nonlinear interaction of elliptically polarized counter-propagating waves in an isotropic transparent medium is analysed. Self-induced changes in the polarization of the counter-propagating light waves, are described. Using these results, a new type of modulator giving self-induced rotation of the polarization ellipse (SIRPE) is studied. The transmission of counter-propagating waves in the SIRPE modulator is shown to exhibit saturation with increase in light intensity and to be a multiple-valued function of the light intensity.