Observation of discrete gap solitons in binary waveguide arrays

We report an experimental study of discrete gap solitons in binary arrays of optical waveguides. We observe self-focusing indicating soliton generation when the inclination angle of an input beam is slightly above the Bragg angle and show that the propagation direction of the emerging gap soliton is influenced by the effect of interband momentum exchange.     

Raman gap solitons

We show that an intense pump pulse, detuned far from the Bragg resonance of a nonlinear periodic structure, can excite a gap soliton at a wavelength within the band gap that corresponds to the Raman shift of the medium. This Raman gap soliton is a stable, long-lived, quasistationary excitation that exists within the grating even after the pump pulse has passed. We find both stationary solitons as well as slow Raman gap solitons with velocities as low as 1% of the speed of light. The predicted phenomena should be observable in fiber Bragg gratings and other nonlinear photonic band gap structures.     

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.     

Optically induced transition between discrete and gap solitons in a nonconventionally biased photorefractive crystal

We show that optically induced photonic lattices in a nonconventionally biased photorefractive crystal can support the formation of discrete and gap solitons owing to a mechanism that differs from the conventional screening effect. Both the bias direction and the lattice orientation can dramatically influence the nonlinear beam-propagation dynamics. We demonstrate a transition from self-focusing to -defocusing and from discrete to gap solitons solely by adjusting the optical-beam orientation.     

Dark-bright discrete solitons: A numerical study of existence, stability and dynamics

In the present work, we numerically explore the existence and stability properties of different types of configurations of dark-bright solitons, dark-bright soliton pairs and pairs of dark-bright and dark solitons in discrete settings, starting from the anti-continuum limit. We find that while single discrete dark-bright solitons have similar stability properties to discrete dark solitons, their pairs may only be stable if the bright components are in phase and are always unstable if the bright components are out of phase. Pairs of dark-bright solitons with dark ones have similar stability properties as individual dark or dark-bright ones. Lastly, we consider collisions between dark-bright solitons and between a dark-bright one and a dark one. Especially in the latter and in the regime where the underlying lattice structure matters, we find a wide range of potential dynamical outcomes depending on the initial soliton speed.     

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.     

Multigap discrete vector solitons

We analyze nonlinear collective effects in periodic systems with multigap transmission spectra such as light in waveguide arrays or Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices. We reveal that the interband interactions in nonlinear periodic structures can be efficiently managed by controlling their geometry. We predict novel types of discrete vector solitons supported by nonlinear coupling between different band gaps and study their 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.     

Observation of discrete gap solitons in one-dimensional waveguide arrays with alternating spacings and saturable defocusing nonlinearity

We consider, both experimentally and theoretically, the existence and stability of localized, symmetric, and antisymmetric gap solitons (GSs) in binary lattices of identical waveguides but with alternating spacings. Furthermore, the properties of surface GSs at the boundary of the lattice are explored.     

Observation of discrete quadratic solitons

Discrete solitons with two frequency components mutually locked by a quadratic nonlinearity have been observed for the first time. Optical experiments have been performed in arrays of coupled channel waveguides with tunable cascaded quadratic nonlinearity. The tunability was the prerequisite that soliton species with different topology could be identified in the same array. Moreover, soliton stability has been experimentally probed. Good agreement with theoretical predictions was found.     

Observation of discrete surface solitons

We report the first observation of discrete optical surface solitons at the interface between a nonlinear self-focusing waveguide lattice and a continuous medium. The effect of power on the localization process of these optical self-trapped states at the edge of an AlGaAs waveguide array is investigated in detail. Our experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical predictions.     

Rotating discrete dissipative optical solitons

Regimes of motionless and moving switching waves and discrete solitons are found for a two-dimensional set of weakly coupled single-mode optical fibers. A regime of a stable sharply localized soliton structure whose center of gravity moves along a curvilinear closed trajectory in the cross section is found. Scenarios of the regime destabilization upon variation of system parameters are considered.     

From solitons to discrete breathers

The excitation of solitons and discrete breathers (pinned or otherwise, also known asintrinsic localized modes, DB/ILM) in a one-dimensional lattice, also denoted as a chain,is considered when both on-site and inter-site vibrations, coupled together, are governedby the empirical Morse interaction. We focus attention on the transformation of the formerinto the latter as the relative strength of the on-site potential to that of theinter-site potential is increased.     

Highly localized discrete quadratic solitons

We observe highly localized solitons in periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide arrays close to phase matching for second-harmonic generation. With fundamental and second-harmonic input in one channel the response indicates two distinguishable propagation schemes. Depending on the relative phase between the two input waves, a self-trapped beam emerges, resembling closely either the in- or the out-of-phase quadratic eigenmode of a single waveguide. A stable soliton propagates when the input waves are in phase.     

Multisolitons and stability of two hump solitons of upper cutoff mode in discrete electrical transmission line

We show that a discrete electrical transmission line, such as a Band-pass filter is modeled by the Salerno equation at the upper cutoff mode. Special interest is paid to the investigation of stationary localized solutions supported by this equation for some given experimental parameters. Applying a map approach, the profiles of single and two bright solitons are obtained. Linear stability and direct numerical simulations are performed and the results show that a single bright soliton is stable while two bright ones are unstable and lead to a single bright soliton. Finally, we show that the lifespan of two hump solitons increases depending on the length thrust range of the kicked initial condition.     

Generation and interaction of large-amplitude solitons

The results of a numerical simulation of the interaction and generation of solitons in nonlinear integrable systems which admit the existence of very-large-amplitude solitons are reported. The nonlinear integrable system chosen for study is the Gardner equation, particular examples of which are the Korteweg-de Vries equation (for quadratic nonlinearity) and a modified Korteweg-de Vries equation (for cubic nonlinearity).It is shown that during the evolution process solitons of opposite polarity appear on the crest of the maximum soliton. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 9, 628–633 (10 May 1998)     

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.     

Collisions between discrete spatiotemporal Ginzburg-Landau solitons

We report systematic results of collisions between discrete spatiotemporal Ginzburg-Landau solitons in waveguide arrays. Depending on the value of the kick parameter (collision momentum), four generic outcomes are identified in the case of collision of two identical solitons located at equal distances from the edge of the waveguide array: (a) merger of the solitons into a single one, at small values of the kick parameter, (b) creation of an extra soliton at intermediate values of the collision momentum, (c) quasi-elastic interactions at both intermediate values of the kick parameter (for relatively small values of the cubic gain) and at large values of the kick parameter (for relatively high values of cubic gain), and (d) soliton spreading at relatively large values of the collision momentum but only in the case of relatively small values of the cubic gain. In the case of collision of two non-identical solitons located at different distances from the edge of the waveguide array four generic outcomes were identified too: (e) soliton bouncing, accompanied by a sharp modification of soliton velocities during the interaction process, for relatively small values of the collision momentum, (f) soliton creation at intermediate values of the kick parameter and for relatively low values of the cubic gain, (g) soliton spreading (in time) at intermediate values of the collision momentum and for relatively high values of the cubic gain, and (h) quasi-elastic interactions at large values of the the kick parameter.     

Optical ratchets with discrete cavity solitons

We propose a setup to observe soliton ratchet effects using discrete cavity solitons in a 1D array of coupled waveguide optical resonators. The net motion of solitons can be generated by an adiabatic shaking of the holding beam with zero average inclination angle. The resulting soliton velocity can be controlled by different parameters of the holding beam.