Stable spatiotemporal solitons in bessel optical lattices

We investigate the existence and stability of three-dimensional solitons supported by cylindrical Bessel lattices in self-focusing media. If the lattice strength exceeds a threshold value, we show numerically, and using the variational approximation, that the solitons are stable within one or two intervals of values of their norm. In the latter case, the Hamiltonian versus norm diagram has a swallowtail shape with three cuspidal points. The model applies to Bose-Einstein condensates and to optical media with saturable nonlinearity, suggesting new ways of making stable three-dimensional solitons and "light bullets" of an arbitrary size.     

Rotary solitons in bessel optical lattices

We introduce solitons supported by Bessel photonic lattices in cubic nonlinear media. We show that the cylindrical geometry of the lattice, with several concentric rings, affords unique soliton properties and dynamics. In particular, in addition to the lowest-order solitons trapped in the center of the lattice, we find soliton families trapped at different lattice rings. Such solitons can be set into controlled rotation inside each ring, thus featuring novel types of in-ring and inter-ring soliton interactions.     

Polarization vortex spatial optical solitons in Bessel optical lattices

We investigate the formation of polarization vortex spatial optical solitons in optical lattice induced by a non-diffracting Bessel beam. The properties of these solitons in zeroth-order and first-order Bessel lattices with focusing and defocusing Kerr nonlinearity are discussed. It is found that these solitons have some analogies with phase vortex solitons carrying single positive or negative topological charge in these lattices. Besides, these polarization vortex solitons have complicated dynamical characteristic and can be stabilized in some parameter region.     

Asymmetric vortex solitons in nonlinear periodic lattices

We reveal the existence of asymmetric vortex solitons in ideally symmetric periodic lattices and show how such nonlinear localized structures describing elementary circular flows can be analyzed systematically using the energy-balance relations. We present the examples of rhomboid, rectangular, and triangular vortex solitons on a square lattice and also describe novel coherent states where the populations of clockwise and anticlockwise vortex modes change periodically due to a nonlinearity-induced momentum exchange through the lattice. Asymmetric vortex solitons are expected to exist in different nonlinear lattice systems, including optically induced photonic lattices, nonlinear photonic crystals, and Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices.     

Power-dependent shaping of vortex solitons in optical lattices with spatially modulated nonlinear refractive index

We address vortex solitons supported by optical lattices featuring modulation of both the linear and nonlinear refractive indices. We find that when the modulation is out of phase the competition between both effects results in remarkable shape transformations of the solitons that profoundly affect their properties and stability. Nonlinear refractive index modulation is found to impose restrictions on the maximal power of off-site solitons, which are shown to be stable only below a maximum nonlinearity modulation depth.     

Coupled matter-wave solitons in optical lattices

We make use of a potential model to study the dynamics of two coupled matter-wave or Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) solitons loaded in optical lattices. With separate attention to linear and nonlinear lattices we find some remarkable differences for response of the system to effects of these lattices. As opposed to the case of linear optical lattice (LOL), the nonlinear lattice (NOL) can be used to control the mutual interaction between the two solitons. For a given lattice wave number k, the effective potentials in which the two solitons move are such that the well (V_eff(NOL)), resulting from the juxtaposition of soliton interaction and nonlinear lattice potential, is deeper than the corresponding well V_eff(LOL). But these effective potentials have opposite k dependence in the sense that the depth of V_eff(LOL) increases as k increases and that of V_eff(NOL) decreases for higher k values. We verify that the effectiveness of optical lattices to regulate the motion of the coupled solitons depends sensitively on the initial locations of the motionless solitons as well as values of the lattice wave number. For both LOL and NOL the two solitons meet each other due to mutual interaction if their initial locations are taken within the potential wells with the difference that the solitons in the NOL approach each other rather rapidly and take roughly half the time to meet as compared with the time needed for such coalescence in the LOL. In the NOL, the soliton profiles can move freely and respond to the lattice periodicity when the separation between their initial locations are as twice as that needed for a similar free movement in the LOL. We observe that, in both cases, slow tuning of the optical lattices by varying k with respect to a time parameter τ drags the oscillatory solitons apart to take them to different locations. In our potential model the oscillatory solitons appear to propagate undistorted. But a fully numerical calculation indicates that during evolution they exhibit decay and revival.     

Observation of second-band vortex solitons in 2D photonic lattices

We demonstrate second-band bright vortex-array solitons in photonic lattices. This constitutes the first experimental observation of higher-band solitons in any 2D periodic system. These solitons possess complex intensity and phase structures, yet they can be excited by a simple highly localized vortex-ring beam. Finally, we show that the linear diffraction of such beams exhibits preferential transport along the lattice axes.     

Observation of quadratic optical vortex solitons

We report on the generation of stable dark-vortex solitons in large-phase-mismatched second-harmonic generation of self-defocusing type, sustained by a combined effect of transverse walk-off and finite beam size.     

Waveguiding properties of optical vortex solitons

An optical vortex soliton induces a graded-index waveguide over an extended propagation distance in a self-defocusing nonlinear optical medium. Using numerical techniques, we determine the waveguide dispersion and optimal size of the guided beam.     

Observation of discrete vortex solitons in optically induced photonic lattices

We report on the first experimental observation of discrete vortex solitons in two-dimensional optically induced photonic lattices. We demonstrate strong stabilization of an optical vortex by the lattice in a self-focusing nonlinear medium and study the generation of the discrete vortices from a broad class of singular beams.     

Stable helical solitons in optical media

We present a review of new results which suggest the existence of fully stable spinning solitons (self-supporting localised objects with an internal vorticity) in optical fibres with self-focusing Kerr (cubic) nonlinearity, and in bulk media featuring a combination of the cubic self-defocusing and quadratic nonlinearities. Their distinctive difference from other optical solitons with an internal vorticity, which were recently studied in various optical media, theoretically and also experimentally, is that all the spinning solitons considered thus far have been found to be unstable against azimuthal perturbations. In the first part of the paper, we consider solitons in a nonlinear optical fibre in a region of parameters where the fibre carries exactly two distinct modes, viz., the fundamental one and the first-order helical mode. From the viewpoint of application to communication systems, this opens the way to doubling the number of channels carried by a fibre. Besides that, these solitons are objects of fundamental interest. To fully examine their stability, it is crucially important to consider collisions between them, and their collisions with fundamental solitons, in (ordinary or hollow) optical fibres. We introduce a system of coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations for the fundamental and helical modes with nonstandard values of the cross-phase-modulation coupling constants, and show, in analytical and numerical forms, results of collisions between solitons carried by the two modes. In the second part of the paper, we demonstrate that the interaction of the fundamental beam with its second harmonic in bulk media, in the presence of self-defocusing Kerr nonlinearity, gives rise to the first ever example of completely stable spatial ring-shaped solitons with intrinsic vorticity. The stability is demonstrated both by direct simulations and by analysis of linearized equations.     

Higher-order surface solitons in one-dimensional Bessel optical lattices

We demonstrate the existence of higher-order solitons occurring at an interface separating two one-dimensional (1D) Bessel optical lattices with different orders or modulation depths in a defocusing medium. We show that, in contrast to homogeneous waveguides where higher-order solitons are always unstable, the Bessel lattices with an interface support branches of higher-order structures bifurcating from the corresponding linear modes. The profiles of solitons depend remarkably on the lattice parameters and the stability can be enhanced by increasing the lattice depth and selecting higher-order lattices. We also reveal that the interface model with defocusing saturable Kerr nonlinearity can support stable multi-peaked solitons. The uncovered phenomena may open a new way for soliton control and manipulation.     

Matter-wave vortices and solitons in anisotropic optical lattices

Using numerical methods, we construct families of vortical, quadrupole, and fundamental solitons in a two-dimensional (2D) nonlinear-Schrödinger/Gross-Pitaevskii equation which models Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) or photonic crystals. The equation includes the attractive or repulsive cubic nonlinearity and an anisotropic periodic potential. Two types of anisotropy are considered, accounted for by the difference in the strengths of the 1D sublattices, or by a difference in their periods. The limit case of the quasi-1D optical lattice (OL), when one sublattice is missing, is included too. By means of systematic simulations, we identify stability limits for two species of vortex solitons and quadrupoles, of the rhombus and square types. In the attraction model, rhombic vortices and quadrupoles remain stable up to the limit case of the quasi-1D lattice. In the same model, finite stability limits are found for vortices and quadrupoles of the square type, in terms of the anisotropy parameter. In the repulsion model, rhombic vortices and quadrupoles are stable in large parts of the first finite bandgap (FBG). Another species of partly stable anisotropic states is found in the second FBG, subfundamental dipoles, each squeezed into a single cell of the OL. Square-shaped quadrupoles are completely unstable in the repulsion model, while vortices of the same type are stable only in weakly anisotropic OL potentials.     

Surface defect gap solitons in two-dimensional optical lattices

We investigate the existence and stability of surface defect gap solitons at an interface between a defect in a two-dimensional optical lattice and a uniform saturable Kerr nonlinear medium. The surface defect embedded in the two-dimensional optical lattice gives rise to some unique properties. It is interestingly found that for the negative defect, stable surface defect gap solitons can exist both in the semi-infinite gap and in the first gap. The deeper the negative defect, the narrower the stable region in the semi-infinite gap will be. For a positive defect, the surface defect gap solitons exist only in the semi-infinite gap and the stable region localizes in a low power region.     

Stabilization of optical solitons in chirped PT-symmetric lattices

We investigate the stability properties of optical solitons in a chirped PT-symmetric lattice whose frequency changes in the transverse direction. Linear-stability analysis together with the direct propagation simulations demonstrates that the chirped lattice can improve the stability of optical solitons dramatically. The instability of fundamental solitons can be completely suppressed if the chirp rate exceeds a critical value. A broad stability area of dipole solitons appears if the lattice is appropriately chirped. Thus, we propose an effective way to suppress the instability of solitons in PT-symmetric potentials.     

Stable spatial solitons in semiconductor optical amplifiers

The existence of stable dissipative spatial solitons at low intensities in patterned electrode semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) is predicted theoretically. In contrast to conventional SOAs, this system may support stable solitons because the inherent saturating losses provide subcritical bifurcations for both the plane-wave and the soliton solution.     

Stable spinning optical solitons in three dimensions

We introduce spatiotemporal spinning solitons (vortex tori) of the three-dimensional nonlinear Schr?dinger equation with focusing cubic and defocusing quintic nonlinearities. The first ever found completely stable spatiotemporal vortex solitons are demonstrated. A general conclusion is that stable spinning solitons are possible as a result of competition between focusing and defocusing nonlinearities.     

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.     

Defect solitons in optical lattices with parity-time symmetric defect

We report experimental measurements of linear and nonlinear magneto-optical polarization rotation on an intercombination transition of Ba vapor (???=?791.1?nm). We observed a maximum polarization rotation angle in Faraday configuration of 15?mrad, accompanied by reduction of absorption.     

Multi-peak solitons in PT-symmetric Bessel optical lattices with defects

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of the existence and stability of multi-peak solitons in parity–time-symmetric Bessel optical lattices with defects in nonlinear media. The results demonstrate that there always exists a critical propagation constant μ _c for the existence of multi-peak solitons regardless of whether the nonlinearity is self-focusing or self-defocusing. In self-focusing media, multi-peak solitons exist when the propagation constant μ > μ _c . In the self-defocusing case, solitons exist only when μ < μ _c . Only low-power solitons can propagate stably when random noise perturbations are present. Positive defects help stabilize the propagation of multi-peak solitons when the nonlinearity is self-focusing. When the nonlinearity is self-defocusing, however, multi-peak solitons in negative defects have wider stable regions than those in positive defects.