Soliton formation by decelerating interacting Airy beams

Abstract

We demonstrate a new type of soliton formation arising from the interaction of multiple two-dimensional Airy beams in a nonlinear medium. While in linear regime, interference effects of two or four spatially displaced Airy beams lead to accelerated intensity structures that can be used for optical induction of novel light guiding refractive index structures, the nonlinear cross-interaction between the Airy beams decelerates their bending and enables the formation of straight propagating solitary states. Our experimental results represent an intriguing combination of two fundamental effects, accelerated optical beams and nonlinearity, together enable novel mechanisms of soliton formation that will find applications in all-optical light localization and switching architectures. Our experimental results are supported by corresponding numerical simulations.

Guided Self-Accelerating Airy Beams—A Mini-Review

“…We would like to note that interactions of Airy beams have also been carried out in other types of nonlinear media, for example, nonlocal nonlinear media [54,55] and photorefractive nonlinear media [56,57]. In recent years, nonlinear modulation of Airy beams in the temporal domain [58][59][60] has attracted special attention.…”

Guided Self-Accelerating Airy Beams—A Mini-Review

“…Owing to the conservation laws and the stability of both beams, the properties of the soliton and nonlinear accelerating beam are quite immune to the collision, although the main lobe is affected both in amplitude and width, but it still conserves accelerating property, which is different from the cases mentioned above. We would like to note that interactions of Airy beams have been also carried out in other type nonlinear media, for example, nonlocal nonlinear media [49,50] and photorefractive nonlinear media [51,52]. Recent years, nonlinear modulation on Airy beams in the temporal domain [53][54][55] has attracted more and more attention.…”

Light-induced interconnects using nonlinear Airy beam interactions

“…This self-healing, shape-preserving, accelerating beam has multiple applications from manipulating microparticles [3] and plasma channel generation [4] to all-optical routing [5], or light-sheet microscopy [6]. Recently, the self trapping character of Airy beams in biased nonlinear media has suggested interesting dynamics such as soliton-like behaviors [7][8][9][10][11]. Co-propagating Airy beams and their interactions have been studied in different medias ranging from nematic liquid crystals [12] to photonic lattices [13] or threewave systems [14].…”