The propagation of a bulk optical solitary wave in a rectangular cell filled with a nematic liquid crystal-a nematicon-is mathematically modelled. In order to overcome the Freédricksz threshold the cell walls are rubbed to pretilt the nematic. A modulation theory, based on a Lagrangian formulation, is developed for the (2 + 1)-dimensional propagation of the solitary wave beam down the cell. This modulation theory is based on two different formulations of the director distribution. The relative advantages and disadvantages of these two methods are discussed. A previously unexplored method based on images is found to possess significant advantages. Excellent agreement with full numerical solutions of the nematicon equations is found for both methods. Finally, the implications of the results obtained for some widely used approximations to the nematicon equations are discussed, particularly their use in comparisons with experimental results.

Modulation theory, based on a Lagrangian formulation of the governing equations, is used to investigate the propagation of a nonlinear, nonlocal optical vortex solitary wave in a finite nematic-liquid-crystal cell. The nematic response to the vortex is calculated using the approach of themethod of images (MOI). It is demonstrated that the MOI is a reliable alternative to the usual Fourier series solution as it requires an order of magnitude fewer terms to obtain excellent agreement with numerical solutions. It is found that the cell walls, in addition to repelling the optical vortex solitary wave, as for an optical solitary wave, can destabilize it due to the fixed director orientation at the walls. A linearized stability analysis is used to explain and analyze this instability. In particular, the minimum distance of approach of a stable vortex to the wall is determined from the stability analysis. Good agreement is found with numerical minimum approach distances. Modulation theory, based on a Lagrangian formulation of the governing equations, is used to investigate the propagation of a nonlinear, nonlocal optical vortex solitary wave in a finite nematic-liquid-crystal cell. The nematic response to the vortex is calculated using the approach of the method of images (MOI). It is demonstrated that the MOI is a reliable alternative to the usual Fourier series solution as it requires an order of magnitude fewer terms to obtain excellent agreement with numerical solutions. It is found that the cell walls, in addition to repelling the optical vortex solitary wave, as for an optical solitary wave, can destabilize it due to the fixed director orientation at the walls. A linearized stability analysis is used to explain and analyze this instability. In particular, the minimum distance of approach of a stable vortex to the wall is determined from the stability analysis. Good agreement is found with numerical minimum approach distances. Optical vortex solitary wave in a bounded nematic-liquid-crystal cell

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We unveil different regimes for the interaction between two orthogonally polarized soliton-like beams in a colloidal suspension of nanoparticles with positive polarizability. The interaction is always attractive. However, it noticeably changes as a function of the angle and the power distribution between the input beams. For small angles, both interacting solitons fuse into a single entity, whose propagation direction can be continuously steered. As the interaction angle increases, the resulting self-collimated beam can be practically switched between two positions when the power imbalance between the beams is changed. For interaction angles larger than ∼10°, the result is no longer a single emerging soliton when the input power is balanced between the two beams.

The addition of orbital angular momentum has been previously shown to stabilise beams of elliptic cross-section. In this article the evolution of such elliptical beams is explored through the use of an approximate methodology based on modulation theory. An approximate method is used as the equations that govern the optical system have no known exact solitary wave solution. This study brings to light two distinct phases in the evolution of a beam carrying orbital angular momentum. The two phases are determined by the shedding of radiation in the form of mass loss and angular momentum loss. The first phase is dominated by the shedding of angular momentum loss through spiral waves. The second phase is dominated by diffractive radiation loss which drives the elliptical solitary wave to a steady state. In addition to modulation theory, the "chirp" variational method is also used to study this evolution. Due to the significant role radiation loss plays in the evolution of an elliptical solitary wave, an attempt is made to couple radiation loss to the chirp variational method. This attempt furthers understanding as to why radiation loss cannot be coupled to the chirp method. The basic reason for this is that there is no consistent manner to match the chirp trial function to the generated radiating waves which is uniformly valid in time. Finally, full numerical solutions of the governing equations are compared with solutions obtained using the various variational approximations, with the best agreement achieved with modulation theory due to its ability to include both mass and angular momentum loss to shed diffractive radiation.