Surface gap solitons

We put forward the existence of surface gap solitons at the interface between uniform media and an optical lattice with defocusing nonlinearity. Such new type of solitons forms when the incident and reflected waves at the interface of the lattice experience Bragg scattering, and feature a combination of the unique properties of both surface waves and gap solitons. We discover that gap surface solitons exist only when the lattice depth exceeds a threshold value, that they can be made completely stable, and that they can form stable bound states.     

Surface superlattice gap solitons

We demonstrate that specific surface superlattice gap solitons can be supported at an interface between a one-dimensional photonic superlattice and a uniform medium with saturable nonlinearity. The solitons are stable in the semi-infinite gap but do not exist in the first gap. With the decrease of the power, the solitons jump from the surface site to the next one, and they may continue the motion into the lattices, which offers potential applications for the routing of optical signals.     

Stimulated Raman scattering and spontaneous Raman solitons in ammonia

In this study we report the first observation of spontaneous Raman solitons in stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) by the gas NH₃. The scattered radiation is called Stokes radiation. Raman solitons are of considerable interest, because their existence can be explained by quantum-mechanical fluctuations of the electromagnetic field in vacuum. We have observed spontaneous Raman solitons in a forward SRS configuration for two different molecular transitions of NH₃, the laser emissions at 58 μm and 72.6 μm wavelength. These are optically pumped by 10 μm CO₂-laser pulses with a duration of 100 ns and an energy of 150 mJ. Spontaneous Raman solitons are short spikes in the pump pulse which occur during its depletion. Their origin is the rapid π phase change of the Stokes seed. In contrast to other laboratories we have used single-pass cells. Thus, we have succeeded in observing multiple spontaneous Raman solitons during one pump pulse. Previous experiments with multi-pass cells never showed multiple solitons. Since multiple spontaneous Raman solitons have already been reported in an earlier experiment with a single-pass cell filled with hydrogen at high pressure, we conclude that such multiple Raman solitons can be observed mainly in this type of gas cell. Subsequently, we have performed statistical measurements on the delay time and the height of the spontaneous Raman solitons in the depleted pump pulse for the 58 μm-NH₃ emission. We have compared these statistics with theory and equivalent experimental results of other laboratories. They are in good agreement with the assumption that quantum-mechanical fluctuations are the origin of spontaneous Raman solitons. The most recent theories postulate that the origin of the formation of spontaneous Raman solitons can be explained by the rapid π phase change of the Stokes seed as well as that of the laser or polarization wave. Therefore, we have determined the phase of the spontaneous Raman solitons relative to the depleted pump pulse. Although, such changes of sign of the relative phase have already been observed in an earlier SRS experiment with hydrogen at high pressure, we did not detect any in our experiment. Therefore, we conclude that in this experiment the π phase change occurs in the Stokes or polarization wave.     

光子晶格中新颖的空间带隙孤子——饶毓泰基础光学二等奖介绍

光子晶格作为一种光学周期性离散体系,具有通常均匀介质所无法比拟的独特性质,它为空间离散孤子、表面波以及衍射操控等一系列线性和非线性离散动力学行为的实验观测提供了便利条件,同时在全光路由、全光开关和光子计算机等方面具有重要的应用前景.文章简要回顾了南开大学的研究小组近期在二维光子晶格中有关空间带隙孤子的一系列研究工作,包括二维基本带隙孤子、类偶极带隙孤子、带隙孤子串以及涡旋带隙孤子等.在有的实验过程中,文章作者清晰地观测到探测光束的频谱整形,波常数从具有反常衍射的导带底部演化到光子禁带中,并且通过干涉图反映的相位关系验证了带隙孤子形成.实验的结果可以为其他离散系统中带隙孤子态的观测提供有益参考和启示.     

Multifrequency gap solitons in nonlinear photonic crystals

We predict the existence of multifrequency gap solitons (MFGSs) in both one- and two-dimensional nonlinear photonic crystals. A MFGS is a single intrinsic mode possessing multiple frequencies inside the gap. Its existence is a result of synergic nonlinear coupling among solitons or soliton trains at different frequencies. Its formation can either lower the threshold fields of the respective frequency components or stabilize their excitations. These MFGSs form a new class of stable gap solitons.     

Defect vector gap solitons in photonic lattices

The existence and general properties of different kinds of defect vector gap solitons in one dimensional optically induced photonic defect lattice with focusing saturable nonlinearity in photorefractive crystal are analyzed. The defect is well localized in a single site with two existence forms, namely repulsive and attractive defect. Propagation constants of two beams that compose defect vector gap solitons could be from same gap or from different gaps. We show that some kinds of unstable scalar defect gap solitons could be stabilized by their corresponding vector cases.     

Optical gap solitons in nonresonant quadratic media

We demonstrate an important role of the process of optical rectification in the theory of nonlinear wave propagation in quadratically nonlinear [or chi(2)] periodic optical media. We derive a novel physical model for gap solitons in chi(2) nonlinear Bragg gratings.     

Generation and stability of discrete gap solitons

We analyze stability and generation of discrete gap solitons in weakly coupled optical waveguides. We demonstrate how both stable and unstable solitons can be observed experimentally in the engineered binary waveguide arrays and also reveal a connection between the gap-soliton instabilities and limitations on the mutual beam focusing in periodic photonic structures.     

Matter-wave gap solitons in atomic band-gap structures

We demonstrate that a Bose-Einstein condensate in an optical lattice forms a reconfigurable matter-wave structure with a band-gap spectrum, which resembles a nonlinear photonic crystal for light waves. We study in detail the case of a two-dimensional square optical lattice and show that this atomic band-gap structure allows nonlinear localization of atomic Bloch waves in the form of two-dimensional matter-wave gap solitons.     

光子晶格中新颖的空间带隙孤子——饶毓泰基础光学二等奖介绍

光子晶格作为一种光学周期性离散体系,具有通常均匀介质所无法比拟的独特性质,它为空间离散孤子、表面波以及衍射操控等一系列线性和非线性离散动力学行为的实验观测提供了便利条件,同时在全光路由、全光开关和光子计算机等方面具有重要的应用前景.文章简要回顾了南开大学的研究小组近期在二维光子晶格中有关空间带隙孤子的一系列研究工作,包括二维基本带隙孤子、类偶极带隙孤子、带隙孤子串以及涡旋带隙孤子等.在有的实验过程中,文章作者清晰地观测到探测光束的频谱整形,波常数从具有反常衍射的导带底部演化到光子禁带中,并且通过干涉图反映     

Bloch function approach for parametric gap solitons

Using a Bloch function approach, we predict the existence of parametric gap solitary waves in a grating structure with quadratic nonlinearity. These waves consist of mutually trapped envelopes at the fundamental frequency and at the second harmonic, which are not sustained by any equivalent cubic nonlinearity.     

Discrete gap solitons in modulated waveguide arrays

We suggest a novel concept of diffraction management in waveguide arrays and predict the existence of discrete gap solitons that possess the properties of both conventional discrete and Bragg grating solitons. We demonstrate that one can control both the soliton velocity and the propagation direction by varying the input light intensity.     

Multicomponent gap solitons in superposed grating structures

We demonstrate, numerically, the existence and stability of multicomponent gap solitons in a Kerr nonlinear medium with a superposed grating based on a derived system of coupled-mode equations. Applications to all-optical logic and signal processing are discussed.     

Discrete gap solitons in a diffraction-managed waveguide array

A model including two nonlinear chains with linear and nonlinear couplings between them, and opposite signs of the discrete diffraction inside the chains, is introduced. In the case of the cubic [ χ⁽³⁾] nonlinearity, the model finds two different interpretations in terms of optical waveguide arrays, based on the diffraction-management concept. A continuum limit of the model is tantamount to a dual-core nonlinear optical fiber with opposite signs of dispersions in the two cores. Simultaneously, the system is equivalent to a formal discretization of the standard model of nonlinear optical fibers equipped with the Bragg grating. A straightforward discrete second-harmonic-generation [ χ⁽²⁾] model, with opposite signs of the diffraction at the fundamental and second harmonics, is introduced too. Starting from the anti-continuum (AC) limit, soliton solutions in the χ⁽³⁾ model are found, both above the phonon band and inside the gap. Solitons above the gap may be stable as long as they exist, but in the transition to the continuum limit they inevitably disappear. On the contrary, solitons inside the gap persist all the way up to the continuum limit. In the zero-mismatch case, they lose their stability long before reaching the continuum limit, but finite mismatch can have a stabilizing effect on them. A special procedure is developed to find discrete counterparts of the Bragg-grating gap solitons. It is concluded that they exist at all the values of the coupling constant, but are stable only in the AC and continuum limits. Solitons are also found in the χ⁽²⁾ model. They start as stable solutions, but then lose their stability. Direct numerical simulations in the cases of instability reveal a variety of scenarios, including spontaneous transformation of the solitons into breather-like states, destruction of one of the components (in favor of the other), and symmetry-breaking effects. Quasi-periodic, as well as more complex, time dependences of the soliton amplitudes are also observed as a result of the instability development. Received 14 September 2002 / Received in final form 4 February 2003 Published online 24 April 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: malomed@eng.tau.ac.il     

Controlled generation and steering of spatial gap solitons

We demonstrate the first fully controlled generation of immobile and slow spatial gap solitons in nonlinear periodic systems with band-gap spectra, and observe the key features of gap solitons that distinguish them from discrete solitons, including a dynamical transformation of gap solitons due to nonlinear interband coupling. We also describe theoretically and confirm experimentally the effect of the anomalous steering of gap solitons in optically induced photonic lattices.     

Surface defect gap solitons in one-dimensional dual-frequency lattices

We study the surface defect gap solitons in an interface between a defect of one-dimensional dual-frequency lattices and the uniform media. Some unique properties are revealed that such lattices can broaden the region of semi-finite gap, and the semi-finite gap exists not only in the positive and zero defects but also in the negative defect; unlike in the regular lattices, the semi-finite gap exists in the positive and zero defects but does not exist in the negative defect. In particular, stable solitons exist almost in the whole semi-finite gap for the positive and zero defects. These properties are different from other lattices with defects. In addition, it is found that the existence of surface dual-frequency lattice solitons does not need a threshold power.     

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.