Complex dynamics and configurational entropy of spatial optical solitons in nonlocal media

Intense light propagating in a nonlinear medium can generate an ensemble of interacting filaments of light, or spatial solitons. Using nematic liquid crystals, we demonstrate that the filaments exhibit collective behavior typical of complex systems, including the formation of clusters and soundlike vibrations, as well as the reduction of the configurational entropy, controlled by the degree of nonlocality of the medium.     

Improved coupled-mode analysis of nonlinear distributed feedback structures

Coupled-mode theory is employed to describe the nonlinear behaviour of a distributed feedback grating, including intensity-dependent terms resulting from the periodic variations in the nonlinearity. The improved coupled-mode analysis leads to modified values for the on and off-switching intensities, as demonstrated numerically.On leave from Dpto. Tecnologia Fotónica, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain.     

Excitation of self-transparency Bragg solitons in quadratic media

We show that self-transparent or gap solitons with leading-order components at fundamental frequency can be generated in a singly resonant Bragg grating by second-harmonic generation. We discuss the conditions required for exciting these localized waves.     

Polarization-multiplexed x((2)) solitary-wave interactions

We investigate interactions between vectorial solitary waves through typeII second-harmonic generation. We demonstrate that one can tune the collision distance of two initially codirectional solitary waves changing their polarization state. Moreover, by adiabatic perturbation analysis, it is possible to predict such a collision distance as a function of solitary-wave separation, in good agreement with numerical simulations.     

Quadratic spatial soliton generation by seeded downconversion of a strong harmonic pump beam

Two-dimensional quadratic spatial solitons were generated experimentally near phase-matching conditions for type II frequency doubling in KTP by the seeding of a strong second-harmonic field with a weak input at the fundamental wavelength. The self-trapped beams were shown to be insensitive to the energy, phase, and polarization of the fundamental-frequency seed input beam.     

Parametric self-trapping in the presence of randomized quasi phase matching

We report on experimental evidence of parametric spatial solitons in a quadratic crystal with randomized periodic ferroelectric poling. Two-color self-focusing via quadratic cascading overcomes the diffractive nature of both fundamental and frequency-doubled beams.     

Two-color vector solitons in nonlocal media

We investigate the interaction between two beams differing in wavelength and the properties of dual-frequency spatial solitons in nonlocal birefringent reorientational media. We report the first experimental observations of anisotropic nonlocal vector solitons in unbiased nematic liquid crystals. Model and simulations, based on the paraxiality along the Poynting vectors, include joint walk-off and breathing.     

Quadratic phase matching in slot waveguides

We analyze phase matching with reference to frequency doubling in nanosized quadratic waveguides encompassing form birefringence and supporting cross-polarized fundamental and second-harmonic modes. In an AlGaAs rod with an air void, we show that phase-matched second-harmonic generation could be achieved in a wide spectral range employing state-of-the-art nanotechnology.     

Trapping of slowly moving or stationary two-color gap solitons

We address the important problem of excitation of gap solitons of a parametric nature, which are sustained in periodically corrugated frequency-doubling media near Bragg resonance with both the fundamental frequency and its second harmonic. We demonstrate that a zero-velocity soliton can be trapped in a finite Bragg structure by the quiescence of two counterpropagating moving solitons, which in turn might be formed by injection of appropriate light pulses at a single carrier frequency.     

Si-based near infrared photodetectors operating at 10 Gbit/s

We report on fast p-i-n near infrared photodetectors in pure germanium on silicon. The diodes were fabricated by chemical vapor deposition at 600 °C followed by thermal annealing at 900 °C. We also verified that bypassing the thermal treatment did not have significant effects on the resulting crystal quality, allowing to considerably reducing the thermal budget hence simplify the integration with silicon. We demonstrate the operation of photodiodes with responsivities of 0.4 and 0.2 A/W at 1.3 and 1.55 μm, respectively, as well as open-eye diagrams at 10 Gbit/s.