Polarization-dependence of optical spatial solitons in photoisomerization material

Experimental observation of spatial solitons in azobenzene-doped organic polymer is demonstrated in dye-doped polymer bulk material. Solitons cannot only be formed in this material with linearly polarized light, but also with circularly polarized light. An interesting phenomenon is revealed that the soliton is polarization-dependent. The solitons with the same intensity but with different polarizations have different widths. The experimental results are further theoretically explained with the dynamics model based on a photochemical process, namely photoisomerization.