Incoherently coupled Hermite-Gaussian breather and soliton pairs in strongly nonlocal nonlinear media

We theoretically investigate the propagation of incoherently coupled Hermite-Gaussian breather and soliton pairs in strongly nonlocal nonlinear media. It is found that multipole-mode soliton pairs with arbitrary different orders of Hermite-Gaussian shape can exist when the total power of two beams equals the critical power and the ratio of the beam widths for the Gaussian part is inversely proportional to the square root of the ratio of the wave numbers. When the total power does not equal the critical power, the Hermite-Gaussian breather pair exists and their beam widths evolve analogously. For general cases where the ratio of the beam widths is arbitrary, soliton-breather pairs or breather-breather pairs can be formed and their beam widths evolve synchronously in-phase or out-of-phase. Numerical simulations directly based on the nonlocal nonlinear Schrödinger equation are conducted for comparison with our theoretical predictions. The numerical stability analysis shows the higher-order Hermite-Gaussian solitons can not be stable for small nonlocality or for some media like liquid crystals.     

Waveguides induced by steady-state gray solitons in biased photorefractive-photovoltaic crystals

We carry out a theoretical investigation of the properties of waveguides induced by photorefractive one-dimensional steady-state gray spatial solitons (i.e., screening solitons, photovoltaic solitons, and screening-photovoltaic solitons). We demonstrate that waveguides induced by photorefractive steady-state gray spatial solitons are only a single guided mode for both all soliton graynesses and all values of ρ, where ρ is the ratio between the soliton peak intensity and the dark irradiance, and moreover, waveguides induced by gray photovoltaic solitons for closed-circuit condition are also only a single guided mode for all electric current densities. We find that the confined energy near the center of a photorefractive steady-state gray spatial soliton increases with ρ and decreases with an increase in the soliton grayness. We also find that the confined energy near the center of a gray photovoltaic soliton for closed-circuit condition increases with the electric current density. On the other hand, waveguides induced by gray screening-photovoltaic solitons are gray screening soliton-induced waveguides when the bulk photovoltaic effect is neglectable and are gray photovoltaic soliton-induced waveguides when the external bias field is absent.     

Temporal behavior of dark spatial solitons in closed-circuit photovoltaic media

We show that the time-dependent nonlinear wave equation in closed-circuit photovoltaic media can exhibit quasi-steady-state and steady-state spatial solitons. We demonstrate that the formation time of open-circuit quasi-steady-state and open-circuit steady-state dark solitons decreases with an increase in the intensity ratio of the soliton, which is the ratio between the soliton peak intensity and the dark irradiance. We find that for the time-dependent nonlinear wave equation that exhibits only an open-circuit steady-state dark soliton, changing the electric current density J₀ does not generate quasi-steady-state dark solitons and affects the formation time of steady-state dark solitons and that for the time-dependent nonlinear wave equation that exhibits an open-circuit quasi-steady-state dark soliton, changing J₀ gives rise to three different time evolution regimes of the full width half maximum of the soliton’s intensity. The first regime shows that the formation time of steady-state dark solitons increases with J₀ whereas the formation time of quasi-steady-state dark solitons is independent of J₀. The second regime shows that the formation time of steady-state dark solitons decreases with an increases in J₀ and the formation time of quasi-steady-state dark solitons increases with J₀. The third regime shows that changing J₀ enables only steady-state dark solitons in the time-dependent nonlinear wave equation, of which the formation time increases with J₀.     

Upper threshold for stability of multipole-mode solitons in nonlocal nonlinear media

We address the stability of multipole-mode solitons in nonlocal Kerr-type nonlinear media. Such solitons comprise several out-of-phase peaks packed together by the forces acting between them. We discover that dipole-, triple-, and quadrupole-mode solitons can be made stable, whereas all higher-order soliton bound states are unstable.     

Quasi-two-dimensional dark spatial solitons and generation of mixed phase dislocations

This paper presents experimental evidence that orthogonally crossed dark soliton stripes form quasi-two-dimensional spatial solitons with a soliton constant equal to that of singly charged optical vortices. Besides the pairs of oppositely charged optical vortex solitons, the snake instability of the dark formation at moderate saturation is found to lead to generation of steering mixed edge–screw phase dislocations with zero total topological charges. Received: 26 October 1998 / Revised version: 19 January 1999 / Published online: 12 May 1999     

Discrete light bullets in two-dimensional photonic lattices: Collision scenarios

We report systematic results of collisions between discrete spatiotemporal optical solitons in two-dimensional photonic lattices. We show that the outcomes of collisions strongly depend on the initial soliton parameters, such as their input amplitudes (energies) and their transverse velocities. Four generic outcomes are identified in the study of collisions between discrete light bullets located in the corner, at the edge, and in the center of the photonic lattice: (a) merger of both low and high amplitude solitons into a single one, at small values of the kick parameter (soliton transverse velocity), (b) spreading of low amplitude solitons at intermediate values of the kick parameter, (c) bouncing of high amplitude solitons at intermediate values of the kick parameter, which is accompanied by a sharp modification of input soliton transverse velocities, and (d) quasi-elastic (symmetric) interactions of both low and high amplitude solitons at large values of the kick parameter.     

Soliton switching in inhomogeneous nonlocal media

We address a simple way to achieve routing of optical spatial solitons via soliton interactions in the inhomogeneous nonlocal media. We reveal that the variation of the nonlocality disturbs the solitons pairs and splits them into two individual solitons which have the same escape angle but opposite deflection directions. In particular, the escape angle monotonically increases with the increase of the nonlocality variation rate. We demonstrate that the soliton pairs could form self-consistent waveguides that are able to controllably guide a weak signal by any output positions.     

Generalized Theory of One-Dimensional Steady-State Optical Spatial Solitons

We present a generalized soliton theory based on the one-dimensional generalized nonlinear Schroedinger equation,from which one can easily obtain the bright, dark, and grey soliton waveforms, and their existence curves. We show that the forming conditions of spatial solitons are directly dependent on the relationship between the index perturbation and the intensity, no matter whether the index perturbation is positive or negative. Some relevant examples are presented when the solitons are supported by the photoisomerization nonlinearity.     

Gray and dark spatial solitons supported by two-photon isomerization

A theory is presented to show that gray and dark solitons can exist in bulk polymers with two-photon isomerization (TPI) nonlinearity. The soliton FWHM, intensity and phase profiles are discussed in detail. In addition, the stability properties of these TPI solitons are also investigated by employing the stability criterion based on the renormalized momentum.     

Spatial solitons in linearly and nonlinearly amplitude-modulated optical lattices

We demonstrated that linearly and nonlinearly amplitude-modulated (chirped) harmonic lattices can support odd and even solitons in both focusing and defocusing saturable media. The modulated lattice modifies the profiles and enlarges the stability domains of solitons, comparing with the unchirped one. Twisted solitons, or “soliton trains” whose profiles exhibit multi-peak structures can also be supported by linearly and nonlinearly chirped lattices. In sharp contrast with periodic lattices, chirped lattices remarkably broaden the existence and stability domains of twisted solitons, especially for solitons with more components. While even solitons in focusing media and twisted solitons in defocusing media are unstable, odd and twisted solitons in focusing media are stable in relatively wide parameter windows. Chirped lattice can be used as a linear guidance to realize the oscillation of solitons which is impossible in unchirped lattice.     

Solitary Wave Evolution of Optical Planar Vortices in Self-Defocusing Photorefractive Media

Solitary wave evolution of optical planar vortices in isotropie self-defoeusing photorefractive media is investigated in detail. We demonstrate that the formation of a planar vortex soliton intensively depends on the diameter and maximum intensity of the input vortex Seam. The exact solutions of planar vortex solitons are obtained due to the Petviashvili iteration method. It is found that, with the increasing soliton maximum intensity, the soliton core will be gradually diminished to a minimum value.     

Incoherently coupled vector dipole soliton pairs in nonlocal media

We investigate the incoherently and strongly coupled Manakov vector dipole soliton pairs in nonlocal nonlinear media. We use variational approach, to describe analytical properties of these solutions in a strongly nonlocal regime. We show that the presence of fundamental component improve stability of the dipole nonlocal soliton. In the limit of highly nonlocal nonlinearity, the evolution behaviors of the vector solitons is determined by their total power.     

Soliton control in optical lattices with periodic modulation of nonlinearity coefficient

We address the dynamics of solitons in the optical lattices with periodic modulation of the nonlinearity coefficient. Based on the quasi-particle approach, the properties of fundamental soliton localized in optical lattices are theoretically analyzed and shown its potential application for controllable soliton switching. Moreover, the phenomena of multi-soliton splitting and the single-soliton constituent trapping in the optical lattices are illustrated and discussed.     

Oscillations of the soliton parameters in nonlinear interference phenomena

Applying the inverse scattering transform method, we show that a soliton modified by an amplitude or phase filter can evolve into several solitons. The oscillation period upon subsequent propagation follows from the wavenumbers of the emerging solitons and the radiation. Our results clarify spectral variations observed in recent supercontinuum experiments.     

Two-Dimensional Laguerre--Gaussian Asymmetric Soliton Family in Strongly Nonlocal Media

We demonstrate the existence of a broad class of higher-order Laguerre Gaussian asymmetric spatial optical solitons in strongly nonlocal nonlinear media. Furthermore, we discuss specific values （q = 0） of the modulation depth parameter for different rational values of the topological charge in detail. Our results show that higherorder asymmetry spatial sofiton family can exist in various forms, such as two-dimensional defect haff-solitons, asymmetric single-layer and multi-layer necklace solitons.     

Spectral-temporal dynamics of ultrashort Raman solitons and their role in third-harmonic generation in photonic crystal fibers

We use cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating to obtain spectral-temporal portraits of ultrashort Raman solitons in photonic crystal fibers at telecommunication wavelengths. Power-dependent Raman frequency shifts of 200 nm in 63 mm of fiber are observed accompanied by spectral broadening and 2.5-times soliton compression. Complete time-frequency dynamics at the fundamental wavelength thus visualized enables us to explain the details of the intermodally phase-matched third harmonic generation by the propagating solitons.This revised version was published online in August 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Evolution and Stability of Dark Holographic Solitons in Photorefractive Dissipative Systems

The dynamics evolution of dark holographic solutions in a dissipative system is investigated numerically provided that the double balance, i.e. diffraction is balanced by nonlinearity and loss is balanced by gain, is satisfied. The influence of the system parameters, such as the linear loss of the crystal, the external biased field and the angel between input beams, on the stable propagation of soliton beams is discussed numerically. Results show that such solitons can be easily amplified or absorbed by adjusting these system parameters. Furthermore, numerical simulations indicate that dissipative dark holographic solitons are stable for small perturbation on amplitude.     

Interaction of Nonlocal Incoherent White-Light Solitons

The propagation and interaction of nonlocal incoherent white-light solitons in strongly nonlocal kerr media is investigated. Numerical simulations show that the interaction properties of nonlocal incoherent white-light solitons are different from the case in local media. The interactions of nonlocal incoherent white-light solitons are always attractive independent of their relative phase, while the other parameters such as the extent of nonlocality and the input power have a great impact on the soliton interactions. Pertinent numerical examples are presented to show their propagation and interaction behaviour further.     

Interaction of nonlocal incoherent spatial solitons

We investigate numerically the interaction of nonlocal incoherent spatial solitons in strongly nonlocal kerr media based on the coherent density approach. Numerical simulations show that the incoherent soliton position is very similar to the case of coherent soliton, and show that the incoherence plays an important role in the soliton interaction, while the role of other parameters such as the phase difference, the separation, the extent of nonlocality and the input power play in the interaction is very similar to the case of nonlocal coherent soliton. Some interesting numerical examples are presented to illustrate their interaction behavior further. Pertinent physics features are addressed.     

Dark incoherent soliton splitting in biased photorefractive-photovoltaic crystals

Using the coherent density approach, we study the dark incoherent soliton splitting in biased photorefractive-photovoltaic crystals. We show that when the full width half maximum (FWHM) of the optical beam’s intensity is increased, the odd incoherent dark beam splits into an odd-number sequence of multiple dark stripes, whereas the even incoherent dark beam splits into an even-number sequence of multiple dark stripes. We find that when more incoherent solitons are generated, the separations between adjacent dark stripes become smaller and the stripes far away from the center become less visible and that for a given physical system and for a given splitting, the separations between adjacent dark stripes decrease with an increase in the intensity FWHM of the optical beam. On the other hand, the dark incoherent soliton splitting in biased photorefractive-photovoltaic crystals is the dark incoherent screening soliton splitting when the bulk photovoltaic effect is neglectable and the dark incoherent closed- and open-circuit photovoltaic soliton splitting when the external bias field is absent.