Tailoring the profile and interactions of optical localized structures

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate the broad tunability of the main features of optical localized structures (LS) in a nonlinear interferometer. By discussing how a single LS depends on the system spatial frequency bandwidth, we show that a modification of its tail leads to the possibility of tuning the interactions between LS pairs, and thus the equilibrium distances at which LS bound states form. This is in agreement with a general theoretical model describing weak interactions of LS in nonlinear dissipative systems.Localization of spatial patterns is a subject of major current interest in the research on nonlinear dissipative dynamical systems. The studies about this topics have naturally followed and sided those dedicated to the formation of temporal and spatial solitons in Hamiltonian systems [1]. Analytical and numerical works have identified several distinct mechanisms leading to structure localization in dissipative systems In particular, optical localized structures (LS), to which we will also refer to as dissipative solitons in the following, are objects of intense research, also in view of possible applications as pixels in devices for information storage or processing. So far, the existence of optical dissipative solitons has been theoretically predicted in many passive [7] and active [8] configurations, and optical LS have been observed in

Transverse Patterns in Nonlinear Optical Resonators

“…1.12) or translation [234,235] of the signal in the feedback loop, giving rise to more exotic solutions such as quasicrystals and drifting patterns. The existence of spatial solitons and the formation of bound states of solitons have also been reported experimentally in the liquid-crystal light valve system [236], as shown in Fig. 1.13.…”

Bouncing localized structures in a liquid-crystal light-valve experiment

“…It is already known that, in the simultaneous presence of bistability and pattern forming diffractive feedback, the LCLV system shows localized structures [12,23,24,25]. Recently, rotation of localized structures along concentric rings have been reported in the case of a rotation angle introduced in the feedback loop [26].…”

Frequency and Phase Locking of Laser Cavity Solitons

“…We will see how the linewidth enhancement factor α affects the chirped phase and consequently the LCS interaction in subsection 4.2. Note that in driven systems without phase symmetry the amplitude already oscillates in the tail of the single soliton as it decays, providing direct means for the formation of bound states at discrete separations [24,25,27].…”

“…1a)-i.e. without the phase degree of freedomdisplay a peculiar interaction behavior with a set of bound states with different, discrete distances between constituents [24,25,26,27], which is also typical of many non-optical systems [28], and is related to modulated tails of the solitons. Propagation solitons in conservative system like the Nonlinear Schrödinger equation show phase-sensitive interaction behavior (attraction for zero relative phase, repulsion for π relative phase) [18].…”