Anatoly Alexandrovich Afanasyev (14.01.1942, Maly Uzen, St. Petersburg district, Saratov region, Russia), physicist. Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (2004), Doctor of Physico-Mathematical Sciences (1987), Professor (1991). Honored Scientist of the Republic of Belarus (2012).
Scientific works in the field of nonlinear optics and laser physics. He carried out theoretical studies on wavefront reversal with four-wave mixing and stimulated resonance scattering, resonant interaction of high-power laser radiation with dense media, and a tunable dye laser with distributed feedback. Predicted modes of hysteresis reflection of light from a dense resonant medium, exhibiting internal optical bistability, as well as the possibility of significantly reducing the threshold value of the dipole-dipole interaction constant due to the contribution to the polarizability of non-resonant transitions. Developed the theory of spatio-temporal dynamics of oncoming laser beams in periodically modulated nonlinear media, which served as the basis for creating narrow-band tunable dye lasers of the picosecond range.
Author of more than 300 scientific papers.
State Prize of the Republic of Belarus in 2000 for the study of nonlinear optical phenomena and the creation on this basis of new highly efficient sources of laser radiation.