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.     

Disorder induced control of discrete soliton ratchets

We demonstrate that directed transport of topological solitons in damped, biharmonically driven Frenkel-Kontorova chains can be strongly enhanced by introducing suitable phase disorder into the asymmetric periodic driving. From a collective coordinate formalism, we theoretically deduce an effective deterministic equation of motion governing the dynamics of the soliton center-of-mass for which we predict the dependence of maximal soliton drift on disorder strength according to recently proposed general scaling laws concerning directed transport induced by symmetry breaking of temporal forces. We find that these results are in excellent agreement with those of computer simulations of the original Frenkel-Kontorova chains.     

Discrete cavity solitons

We derive evolution equations describing light propagation in an array of coupled-waveguide resonators and predict the existence of discrete cavity solitons. We identify stable, unstable, and oscillating solitons by varying the coupling strength between the anticontinuous and the continuous limit.     

Interactions of discrete solitons with structural defects

We investigated the interaction of discrete solitons with defect states fabricated in arrays of coupled waveguides. We achieved attractive and repulsive defects by decreasing and increasing, respectively, the spacing of one pair of waveguides in an otherwise uniform array. Linear and nonlinear propagation in the same samples show distinctly different properties. The role of the Peierls-Nabarro potential in the interaction of the soliton with the defect is discussed.     

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.     

Oscillating dark cavity solitons

We show that oscillating dark solitons exist on a stable continuous plane-wave background in a cavity with a saturable defocusing nonlinearity. These oscillations can be attributed to a linear internal mode of the soliton with a complex eigenvalue emerging above a definite input field intensity. Using a simple analytical model, we find that the self-oscillations appear as a consequence of an interaction between the center of the soliton and the surrounding ring.     

Optical spatial solitons

Optical and Quantum Electronics - It is almost common knowledge now that particles also possess properties of waves. But, can localized wave-packets behave and interact like particles? This article...     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Amplifying optical signals with discrete solitons in waveguide arrays

We present a design and protocol to achieve an essential feature of an optical transistor, namely the amplification of input signal with the use of discrete solitons in waveguide arrays. We consider the scattering of a discrete soliton by a reflectionless potential in the presence of a control soliton. We show that at the sharp transition region between full reflectance and full transmittance, the intensity of the reflected or transmitted soliton is highly sensitive to the intensity of the control soliton. This suggests a setup of signal amplifier. For realistic purposes, we modulate the parameters of the reflectionless potential well to achieve a performance of amplifier with a controllable amplification. To facilitate the experimental realization, we calculate the amplification factor in terms of the parameters of the potential well and the input power of the control soliton. The suggested signal amplifier device will be an important component in the all-optical data processing.     

Optical solitons and quasisolitons

Optical solitons and quasisolitons are investigated in reference to Cherenkov radiation. It is shown that both solitons and quasisolitons can exist, if the linear operator specifying their asymptotic behavior at infinity is sign-definite. In particular, the application of this criterion to stationary optical solitons shifts the soliton carrier frequency at which the first derivative of the dielectric constant with respect to the frequency vanishes. At that point the phase and group velocities coincide. Solitons and quasisolitons are absent, if the third-order dispersion is taken into account. The stability of a soliton is proved for fourth order dispersion using the sign-definiteness of the operator and integral estimates of the Sobolev type. This proof is based on the boundedness of the Hamiltonian for a fixed value of the pulse energy. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 113, 1892–1914 (May 1998)     

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.     

Subwavelength discrete solitons in nonlinear metamaterials

We present the first study of subwavelength discrete solitons in nonlinear metamaterials: nanoscaled periodic structures consisting of metal and nonlinear dielectric slabs. The solitons supported by such media result from a balance between tunneling of surface plasmon modes and nonlinear self-trapping. The dynamics in such systems, arising from the threefold interplay between periodicity, nonlinearity, and surface plasmon polaritons, is substantially different from that in conventional nonlinear dielectric waveguide arrays. We expect these phenomena to inspire fundamental studies as well as potential applications of nonlinear metamaterials, particularly in subwavelength nonlinear optics.     

Optical solitons in birefringent fibers with spatio-temporal dispersion

This paper studies the propagation of solitons through birefringent fibers in the presence of spatio-temporal dispersion. Both Kerr and parabolic laws of nonlinearity are addressed. The exact 1-soliton solutions are obtained. There are several constraint conditions that ensure soliton solutions are derived. Three types of solitons are obtained: bright, dark and singular solitons.     

Fundamental solitons in discrete lattices with a delayed nonlinear response

The formation of unstaggered localized modes in dynamical lattices can be supported by the interplay of discreteness and nonlinearity with a finite relaxation time. In rapidly responding nonlinear media, on-site discrete solitons are stable, and their broad intersite counterparts are marginally stable, featuring a virtually vanishing real instability eigenvalue. The solitons become unstable in the case of the slowly relaxing nonlinearity. The character of the instability alters with the increase of the delay time, which leads to a change in the dynamics of unstable discrete solitons. They form robust localized breathers in rapidly relaxing media, and decay into oscillatory diffractive pattern in the lattices with a slow nonlinear response. Marginally stable solitons can freely move across the lattice.     

Optical solitons and wave-particle duality

We investigate the propagation of optical solitons interacting with linear defects in the medium. We show that solitons exhibit a wave-particle dualism versus power, i.e., depending on the relative size of soliton and defect, responsible for a soliton trajectory dependent on its waist.