Two-dimensional array of room-temperature nanophotonic logic gates using InAs quantum dots in mesa structures

We present a detailed study of the dynamics of light in passive nonlinear resonators with shallow and deep intracavity periodic modulation of the refractive index in both longitudinal and transverse directions of the resonator. We investigate solutions localized in the transverse direction (so-called Bloch cavity solitons) by means of envelope equations for underlying linear Bloch modes and solving Maxwell’s equations directly. Using a round-trip model for forward and backward propagating waves we review different types of Bloch cavity solitons supported by both focusing (at normal diffraction) and defocussing (at anomalous diffraction) nonlinearities in a cavity with a weak-contrast modulation of the refractive index. Moreover, we identify Bloch cavity solitons in a Kerr-nonlinear all-photonic crystal resonator solving Maxwell’s equations directly. In order to analyze the properties of Bloch cavity solitons and to obtain analytical access we develop a modified mean-field model and prove its validity. In particular, we demonstrate a substantial narrowing of Bloch cavity solitons near the zero-diffraction regime. Adjusting the quality factor and resonance frequencies of the resonator optimal Bloch cavity solitons in terms of width and pump energy are identified.     

Could cavity solitons exist in bidirectional ring lasers?

We show numerically that bright and dark cavity solitons can be obtained in bidirectional class A ring lasers only if the phase invariance of the electromagnetic field is broken. The phase invariance symmetry is responsible for the existence of phase waves, which generate long-range interactions destroying the property of independence among otherwise localized structures. We improved the usual model describing such types of lasers, and we prove that it leads to genuine cavity solitons.     

Cavity soliton laser based on VCSEL with saturable absorber

We study theoretically a broad-area vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) with a saturable absorber. We show numerically the presence of cavity solitons in the system: they exist as solitary structures formed through a modulationally unstable homogeneous lasing state that coexists with a background with zero intensity. Such a peculiar scenario endows the solitons with unique properties compared to cavity solitons in most previously studied optical systems. In particular, these solitons do not as such rely on a proper phase of the addressing pulses to be either created or deleted. We show that exciting and deleting the solitons depend crucially on whether a threshold in the soliton peak has been reached.     

Self-pulsing localized structures in a laser with saturable absorber

We consider a broad area heterostructured semiconductor laser with an integrated saturable absorber in a monolithic configuration. We extend beyond the single-longitudinal mode approximation a model already used to predict transversely localized structures or cavity solitons (CSs) in a shorter device and we numerically demonstrate the existence of self-pulsing transverse localized structures. Like CSs, these structures can simultaneously coexist in different transverse locations.     

Two-photon cavity solitons in active optical media

We show that broad-area cascade lasers with no absorbing intracavity elements support the spontaneous formation of two-dimensional bright localized structures in a dark background. These cavity solitons consist of islands of two-photon emission embedded in a background of single-photon emission. We discuss the mechanisms through which these structures are formed and interact, along with their properties and stability.     

Subdiffractive discrete cavity solitons

We describe what we believe to be novel types of discrete cavity solitons in nonlinear waveguide arrays that are driven by an external holding beam. We demonstrate that a holding beam with a definite inclination drives the system in a subdiffractive regime and allows the formation of stable discrete cavity solitons. We predict the existence of both bright and dark moving midband discrete cavity solitons for an identical set of system parameters for both focusing and defocusing Kerr nonlinearities.     

Erratum to: Nucleation of wave defects and formation of optical localized structures in bi-directional ring lasers Eur. Phys. J. D 58, 227–233 (2010)

We show that class A bi-directional ring lasers do not support the existence of cavity solitons even under the presence of diffusion for the electromagnetic field. However there is a parameter range where an infinite number of patterns coexist. Such coexistence yields optical localized structures whose dynamical properties are in many ways similar to those of cavity solitons. In particular they allow writing and erasing under the action of very specific perturbations.     

Cavity soliton laser based on mutually coupled semiconductor microresonators

We report on experimental observation of localized structures in two mutually coupled broad-area semiconductor resonators, one of which acts as a saturable absorber. These structures coexist with a dark homogeneous background and they have the same properties as cavity solitons without requiring the presence of a driving beam into the system. They can be switched individually on and off by means of a local addressing beam.     

Control of cavity solitons and dynamical states in a monolithic vertical cavity laser with saturable absorber

We present recent experimental results on the control and dynamics of cavity solitons in a monolithic, vertical cavity surface emitting laser with saturable absorber. On one hand, the fast and independent manipulation of two laser cavity solitons is achieved and a flip-flop operation is demonstrated with a single control-beam. On the other hand, a pulsing localized structure is presented and we demonstrate the control of a pulsing multispot structure that we can switch-on and off. These results are promising in view of the obtainment of a pulsed and monolithic cavity soliton laser.     

Soliton formation with controllable frequency line spacing using dual pumps in a microresonator

Temporal cavity solitons(CSs) have excellent properties that can sustain their shape in a temporal profile and with a broadband, smooth-frequency spectrum. We propose a method for controllable frequency line spacing soliton formation in a microresonator using two continuous-wave(CW) pumps with multi-free-spectral-range(FSR) spacing. The method we propose has better control over the amount and location of the solitons traveling in the cavity compared to the tuning pump method. We also find that by introducing a second pump with frequency N FSR from the first pump, solitons with N FSR comb spacing can be generated.     

Optical solitons due to quadratic nonlinearities: from basic physics to futuristic applications

We present an overview of nonlinear phenomena related to optical quadratic solitons—intrinsically multi-component localized states of light, which can exist in media without inversion symmetry at the molecular level. Starting with presentation of a few derivation schemes of basic equations describing three-wave parametric wave mixing in diffractive and/or dispersive quadratic media, we discuss their continuous wave solutions and modulational instability phenomena, and then move to the classification and stability analysis of the parametric solitary waves. Not limiting ourselves to the simplest spatial and temporal quadratic solitons we also overview results related to the spatio-temporal solitons (light bullets), higher order quadratic solitons, solitons due to competing nonlinearities, dark solitons, gap solitons, cavity solitons and vortices. Special attention is paid to a comprehensive discussion of the recent experimental demonstrations of the parametric solitons including their interactions and switching. We also discuss connections of quadratic solitons with other types of solitons in optics and their interdisciplinary significance.     

Bloch cavity solitons in nonlinear resonators with intracavity photonic crystals

We predict a novel type of cavity solitons, Bloch cavity solitons, existing in nonlinear resonators with the refractive index modulated in both longitudinal and transverse directions and for both focusing (at normal diffraction) and defocusing (at anomalous diffraction) nonlinearities. We develop a modified mean-field theory and analyze the properties of these novel cavity solitons demonstrating, in particular, their substantial narrowing in the zero-diffraction regime.     

Model for optical pattern and cavity soliton formation in a microresonator with self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots

We have developed a model that describes the optical response of a semiconductor quantum dot medium in a cavity in order to investigate pattern and cavity solitons formation. This model, beyond the inclusion of the inhomogeneous broadening of the quantum dot linewidth [1] (due the fluctuations of the quantum dot sizes that arise in self-organized growth), takes into account more complex phenomena such as the thermal escape and capture as well as Auger scattering mechanisms coupling the quantum dot itself with the wetting layer, and carrier diffusion in the unconfined directions of the wetting layer. We have studied the conditions for the onset of bistability and modulational instability and characterize the patterns formed at the bifurcated solutions. New features brought by these terms and indications on the most favourable regimes for cavity solitons formation are discussed. PACS 42.65.Sf; 42.65.An; 78.67.Hc     

Line soliton interactions of the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation

We study soliton solutions of the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili II equation (-4u(t)+6uu(x)+3u(xxx))(x)+u(yy)=0 in terms of the amplitudes and directions of the interacting solitons. In particular, we classify elastic N-soliton solutions, namely, solutions for which the number, directions, and amplitudes of the N asymptotic line solitons as y-->infinity coincide with those of the N asymptotic line solitons as y-->-infinity. We also show that the (2N-1)!! types of solutions are uniquely characterized in terms of the individual soliton parameters, and we calculate the soliton position shifts arising from the interactions.     

基于高能量耗散型脉冲掺铒光纤激光器的实验研究

在正色散掺铒光纤激光器中,利用非线性偏振旋转技术实现自启动锁模,得到了具有极大光谱宽度的高能量、无波分裂耗散型脉冲.该耗散型脉冲的形成是腔内增益、损耗、非线性偏振旋转、正色散和其他非线性效应等共同作用的结果,其形成机理与传统的负色散激光器完全不同.当抽运功率为500mW时,该类型脉冲的光谱覆盖了1530—1660nm范围,半高全宽光谱宽度可达42nm以上.脉冲具有极大的正啁啾,其时间带宽积为483,而单脉冲总能量最大可达34.4nJ.     

Compression of Bright Bound Solitons in the Bose-Einstein Condensates with Exponentially Time-Dependent Atomic Scattering Length by the Feshbach Resonance

We investigate compression of the bright bound solitons in the Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) by exponentially increasing the absolute value of the atomic scattering length. Similarity transformation and Hirota bilinear method are used to symbolically solve the one-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation with the time-dependent coefficients. We present types of the bright bound solitons in compression through manipulating their initial coherence. Results show that the improved quantity of the atomic density peaks can be observed before the collapse of the solitons when their coherence is increased. Furthermore, we discuss how those compressed bound solitons are influenced by the adjacent solitons. The bound structures in our study are illustrated to exist with the parameters within the current experimental capacity (the spatial and temporal ranges of the bound solitons are less than 56 μm and 50 ms in our investigation), which suggests a future observation in the BECs experiments.     

Incoherent and coherent writing and erasure of cavity solitons in an optically pumped semiconductor amplifier

Cavity solitons in semiconductor amplifiers were, from the beginning of their study and observation, obtained either spontaneously or in a controlled manner by local coherent excitation. We describe two experiments that demonstrate coherent and, we believe for the first time, incoherent writing and erasure of cavity solitons in an optically pumped vertical-cavity semiconductor amplifier by short optical pulses.     

Interactions between two-dimensional solitons in the diffractive-diffusive Ginzburg-Landau equation with the cubic-quintic nonlinearity

We report the results of systematic numerical analysis of collisions between two and three stable dissipative solitons in the two-dimensional (2D) complex Ginzburg-Landau equation (CGLE) with the cubic-quintic (CQ) combination of gain and loss terms. The equation may be realized as a model of a laser cavity which includes the spatial diffraction, together with the anomalous group-velocity dispersion (GVD) and spectral filtering acting in the temporal direction. Collisions between solitons are possible due to the Galilean invariance along the spatial axis. Outcomes of the collisions are identified by varying the GVD coefficient, β, and the collision “velocity” (actually, it is the spatial slope of the soliton’s trajectory). At small velocities, two or three in-phase solitons merge into a single standing one. At larger velocities, both in-phase soliton pairs and pairs of solitons with opposite signs suffer a transition into a delocalized chaotic state. At still larger velocities, all collisions become quasi-elastic. A new outcome is revealed by collisions between slow solitons with opposite signs: they self-trap into persistent wobbling dipoles, which are found in two modifications — horizontal at smaller β, and vertical if β is larger (the horizontal ones resemble “zigzag” bound states of two solitons known in the 1D CGL equation of the CQ type). Collisions between solitons with a finite mismatch between their trajectories are studied too.