Gap solitons in defocusing lithium niobate binary waveguide arrays fabricated by proton implantation and selective light illumination

Photovoltaic photorefractive binary waveguide arrays are fabricated by proton implantation and selective light illumination on top of an iron-doped near stoichiometric lithium niobate crystal. Linear discrete diffraction and nonlinear formation of gap solitons were investigated by single-channel excitation using Gaussian light beams coupled into either wide or narrow waveguide channels. The results show that, at low power, linear light propagation leads to discrete diffraction, whilst for higher input power the focusing mechanism dominates, finally leading to the formation of gap solitons in the binary waveguide arrays. Our simulation of light propagation based on a nonlinear beam propagation method confirms the experimental findings.     

Soliton formation in hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers

The formation of solitons upon compression of linearly chirped pulses in hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers is investigated numerically. The dependence of soliton duration on the chirp and power of the input pulse and on the dispersion slope of the fiber is investigated, and the validity of an approximate scaling relation is tested. It is concluded that compression of input pulses of several ps duration and sub-MW peak power can lead to a formation of solitons with ∼100 fs duration and multi-megawatt peak powers. The dispersion slope of realistic hollow-core fibers appears to be the main obstacle for forming still shorter solitons.     

Discrete vector solitons in Kerr nonlinear waveguide arrays

We report the first experimental observation of discrete vector solitons in AlGaAs nonlinear waveguide arrays. These self-trapped states are possible through the coexistence of two orthogonally polarized fields and are stable in spite of the presence of four-wave mixing effects. We demonstrate that at sufficiently high power levels the two polarizations lock into a highly localized vector discrete soliton that would have been otherwise impossible in the absence of either one of these two components.     

Dynamic instability of self-induced bidirectional waveguides in photorefractive media

We report on the experimental observation of a dynamic instability in the interaction of counterpropagating self-trapped beams in a photorefractive strontium barium niobate crystal. While the interaction of copropagating spatial optical solitons exhibits only transient dynamics, resulting in a final steady state, the counterpropagating geometry supports a dynamic instability mediated by intrinsic feedback. Experimental observations are compared with and found to be in qualitative agreement with numerical simulations.     

Breathing modes of two-color,Manakov vector solitons in nonlocal media

The exact solutions for two color, Manakov vector solitons in strongly nonlocal media are obtained. For such solitons to exist, the ratio of the square of the beam widths must be inversely proportional to the ratio of the wave numbers. The sum of the incident powers must also be equal to a critical value. The evolution of the beam widths is also discussed when the two-color, Manakov vector solitons undergo periodic oscillations.     

Counterpropagating spatial solitons in reflection gratings with a longitudinally modulated Kerr nonlinearity

We investigate quasi-Bragg-matched counterpropagating spatial solitons in a reflection grating in the presence of a longitudinally modulated Kerr nonlinearity. The physical interplay of linear reflection and Kerr self-focusing with the modulation in the nonlinearity yields a variety of elaborate self-action mechanisms. We first analytically predict the existence of symmetric soliton pairs supported by a pure Kerr-like effective nonlinearity. We then analytically derive two families of solitons, associated with the linear grating eigenmodes, supported by an effective "incoherent" Kerr-like coupling arising from the exact balance between the modulation in the nonlinearity and the Kerr interaction due to beam interference.     

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.     

Interaction of solitons in a medium with relaxation of gain and saturable absorption

Results of numerical simulation of soliton interaction in a laser with relaxation of gain and saturable saturation are presented. Interactions of co-and counterpropagating fast and slow solitons are analyzed. Typical scenarios of collisions and new resulting soliton-like structures are found.     

Nonlinear dynamics with higher-order modes in lithium niobate waveguide arrays

We present theoretical and experimental studies on nonlinear beam propagation in lithium niobate waveguide arrays utilizing higher-order second harmonic bands. We find that the implementation of the higher-order second harmonic bands leads to a number of new effects. The combined interaction of two second harmonic bands with a propagating fundamental beam can lead to a complete inhibition of nonlinear effects or to the formation of discrete spatial solitons, depending only on the wavelength of the fundamental wave. Furthermore we analyze the properties of discrete solitons, allowing for linear coupling of the second harmonic. Here we predict and demonstrate experimentally a power dependent phase transition of the soliton topology.     

Cavity solitons in bidirectional lasers

We show theoretically that a broad area bidirectional laser with slightly different cavity losses for the two counterpropagating fields sustains cavity solitons (CSs). These are complementary; i.e., there is a bright (dark) CS in the field with larger (smaller) losses. Interestingly, the CSs can be written or erased by injecting suitable pulses into any of the two counterpropagating fields.     

Copropagating and counterpropagating pumps in second-order- pumped discrete fiber Raman amplifiers

The gains and noise figures of discrete second-order-pumped fiber Raman amplifiers utilizing copropagating and counterpropagating pump configurations were experimentally obtained, and the gain results were compared with computer simulations. It was found that the additional gain that is due to second-order Raman pumping is larger for the copropagating pumps than for the counterpropagating pumps, in agreement with simulations. In contrast to distributed second-order-pumped fiber Raman amplifiers, a slight increase in noise figure, by as much as ~1 dB was observed relative to the single-pump scheme. However, the advantages of second-order pumping in discrete amplifiers include greater flexibility in design of the gain distribution along the fiber and the ability to spectrally distribute the pump powers to avoid undesired nonlinear effects.     

Vector soliton fission by reflection at nonlinear interfaces

We address the reflection of vector solitons, comprising several components that exhibit multiple field oscillations, at the interface between two nonlinear media. We reveal that reflection causes fission of the input signal into sets of solitons propagating at different angles. We find that the maximum number of solitons that arises upon fission is given by the number of field oscillations in the highest-order input vector soliton.     

光诱导准一维光子晶格中离散空间光孤子的相互作用

基于分步束传播法数值分析了离散空间光孤子在准一维光诱 导光子晶格中的相干与非相干相互作用过程. 结果表明: 对于相干孤子, 同相时相互吸引, 反相时相互排斥. 然而, 由于非线性响应的各向异性, 横向排布的非相干孤子会因间隔波导数目的增加而由相互吸引变为相互排斥. 并且, 沿对角方向排布的两个非相干孤子在孤子相 互作用力和布拉格反射的共同影响下, 会呈现出"钟摆式"振荡传输现象. 研究结果有助于进一步理解非线性各向异性对离散孤子相互作用的影响机制, 并为后续实验研究提供理论参考.     

Nonlinear shift of spatial solitons at a graded dielectric interface

We investigate total internal reflection of optical spatial solitons at the interface between two regions of nematic liquid crystals with different optical densities. Due to nonlinear molecular reorientation, the solitons experience a penetration depth, hence, a lateral shift that depends on the excitation, with lateral shifts from 0.7 to 1.2 mm as input powers increased from 1.6 to 9.3 mW.     

Determination of the parameters of rotational and translational diffusion of a resonant medium by nonlinear polarization spectroscopy

A complete theoretical interpretation of the experimental data on the transformation of the polarization state of a weak wave in a layer of resonant medium (methane) depending on the intensity of high-power counterpropagating wave is presented in terms of the vector theory of radiation-matter interaction. A method for the experimental determination of the coefficients of rotational and translational gas diffusion is developed based on the theoretical calculation of two types of dichroism and birefringence and the use of experimental data on the change in the probe wave polarization at saturation of the resonant transition by the intensity of a counterpropagating wave with two different (linear and circular) field polarizations. This method also takes into account low backscattering of the strong wave field from optical path inhomogeneities.     

Two dimensional counterpropagating spatial solitons in photorefractive crystals

We demonstrate experimentally the existence of two transverse-dimensional counterpropagating (CP) incoherent spatial solitons in a 5 x 5 x 23 mm SBN:60Ce photorefractive crystal and investigate their dynamical behavior. We carry out numerical simulations that confirm our experimental findings. Substantially different behavior from the copropagating incoherent solitons is found. A symmetry breaking transition from stable overlapping CP solitons to unstable transversely displaced CP solitons is observed. We perform linear stability analysis that predicts the threshold for the split-up transition, in qualitative agreement with numerical simulations and experimental results.     

Surface solitons in chirped photonic lattices

We study surface modes at the edge of a semi-infinite chirped photonic lattice in the framework of an effective discrete nonlinear model. We demonstrate that the lattice chirp can change dramatically the conditions for the mode localization near the surface, and we find numerically the families of discrete surface solitons in this case. Such solitons do not require any minimum power to exist provided the chirp parameter exceeds some critical value. We also analyze how the chirp modifies the interaction of a soliton with the lattice edge.     

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.     

Counterpropagating optical beams and solitons

Physics of counterpropagating optical beams and spatial optical solitons is reviewed, including the formation of stationary states and spatiotemporal instabilities. First, several models describing the evolution and interactions between optical beams and spatial solitons are discussed, that propagate in opposite directions in nonlinear media. It is shown that coherent collisions between counterpropagating beams give rise to an interesting focusing mechanism resulting from the interference between the beams, and that interactions between such beams are insensitive to the relative phase between them. Second, recent experimental observations of the counterpropagation effects and instabilities in waveguides and bulk geometries, as well as in one‐ and two‐dimensional photonic lattices are discussed. A variety of different generalizations of this concept are summarized, including the counterpropagating beams of complex structures, such as multipole beams and optical vortices, as well as the beams in different media, such as photorefractive materials and liquid crystals.     

Interaction of (1+1)-dimensional dipole solitons in optical lattice

The interaction between two (1+1)-dimensional dipole solitons in a weak modulation lattice is studied numerically. Two unstable dipole solitons can form the bound state, and their propagation can be stabilized due to their mutual interaction. The propagation patterns with the interaction are dependent on the interval, relative phase, and input energy of the two dipole solitons. The two poles of the dipole soliton exchanges their energy after the interaction. Under the proper conditions, the interaction force between the two dipole solitons exhibits some properties similar to those between two molecules.