Multidimensional semi-gap solitons in a periodic potential

The existence, stability and other dynamical properties of a new type of multi-dimensional (2D or 3D) solitons supported by a transverse low-dimensional (1D or 2D, respectively) periodic potential in the nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger equation with the self-defocusing cubic nonlinearity are studied. The equation describes propagation of light in a medium with normal group-velocity dispersion (GVD). Strictly speaking, solitons cannot exist in the model, as its spectrum does not support a true bandgap. Nevertheless, the variational approximation (VA) and numerical computations reveal stable solutions that seem as completely localized ones, an explanation to which is given. The solutions are of the gap-soliton type in the transverse direction(s), in which the periodic potential acts in combination with the diffraction and self-defocusing nonlinearity. Simultaneously, in the longitudinal (temporal) direction these are ordinary solitons, supported by the balance of the normal GVD and defocusing nonlinearity. Stability of the solitons is predicted by the VA, and corroborated by direct simulations.Comment: European Physical Joournal D, in pres

Vibration spectrum of a two-soliton molecule in dipolar Bose–Einstein condensates

We study the vibration of soliton molecules in dipolar Bose–Einstein condensates by variational approach and numerical simulations of the nonlocal Gross–Pitaevskii equation. We employ the periodic variation of the strength of dipolar atomic interactions to excite oscillations of solitons near their equilibrium positions. When the parametric perturbation is sufficiently strong the molecule breaks up into individual solitons, like the dissociation of ordinary molecules. The waveform of the molecule and resonance frequency, predicted by the developed model, are confirmed by numerical simulations of the governing equation

Matter-wave solitons in radially periodic potentials

We investigate two-dimensional (2D) states of Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) with self-attraction or self-repulsion, trapped in an axially symmetric optical-lattice potential periodic along the radius. Unlike previously studied 2D models with Bessel lattices, no localized states exist in the linear limit of the present model, hence all localized states are truly nonlinear ones. We consider the states trapped in the central potential well, and in remote circular troughs. In both cases, a new species, in the form of \textit{radial gap solitons}, are found in the repulsive model (the gap soliton trapped in a circular trough may additionally support stable dark-soliton pairs). In remote troughs, stable localized states may assume a ring-like shape, or shrink into strongly localized solitons. The existence of stable annular states, both azimuthally uniform and weakly modulated ones, is corroborated by simulations of the corresponding Gross-Pitaevskii equation. Dynamics of strongly localized solitons circulating in the troughs is also studied. While the solitons with sufficiently small velocities are stable, fast solitons gradually decay, due to the leakage of matter into the adjacent trough under the action of the centrifugal force. Collisions between solitons are investigated too. Head-on collisions of in-phase solitons lead to the collapse; $\pi$-out of phase solitons bounce many times, but eventually merge into a single soliton without collapsing. The proposed setting may also be realized in terms of spatial solitons in photonic-crystal fibers with a radial structure.Comment: 16 pages, 23 figure

Multidimensional solitons in a low-dimensional periodic potential

Using the variational approximation(VA) and direct simulations, we find stable 2D and 3D solitons in the self-attractive Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE) with a potential which is uniform in one direction ($z$) and periodic in the others (but the quasi-1D potentials cannot stabilize 3D solitons). The family of solitons includes single- and multi-peaked ones. The results apply to Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in optical lattices (OLs), and to spatial or spatiotemporal solitons in layered optical media. This is the first prediction of {\em mobile} 2D and 3D solitons in BECs, as they keep mobility along $z$. Head-on collisions of in-phase solitons lead to their fusion into a collapsing pulse. Solitons colliding in adjacent OL-induced channels may form a bound state (BS), which then relaxes to a stable asymmetric form. An initially unstable soliton splits into a three-soliton BS. Localized states in the self-repulsive GPE with the low-dimensional OL are found too.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Moving and colliding pulses in the subcritical Ginzburg-Landau model with a standing-wave drive

We show the existence of steadily moving solitary pulses (SPs) in the complex Ginzburg-Landau (CGL) equation, which includes the cubic-quintic (CQ) nonlinearity and a conservative linear driving term, whose amplitude is a standing wave with wavenumber $k$ and frequency $\omega$, the motion of the SPs being possible at velocities $\pm \omega /k$, which provide locking to the drive. A realization of the model may be provided by traveling-wave convection in a narrow channel with a standing wave excited in its bottom (or on the surface). An analytical approximation is developed, based on an effective equation of motion for the SP coordinate. Direct simulations demonstrate that the effective equation accurately predicts characteristics of the driven motion of pulses, such as a threshold value of the drive's amplitude. Collisions between two solitons traveling in opposite directions are studied by means of direct simulations, which reveal that they restore their original shapes and velocity after the collision.Comment: 7 pages, 5 eps figure

Scattering of a two-soliton molecule by Gaussian potential barriers and wells

Two anti-phase bright solitons in a dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate can form stable bound states, known as soliton molecules. In this paper we study the scattering of a twosoliton molecule by external potential, using the simplest and analytically tractable Gaussian potential barriers and wells, in one spatial dimension. Theoretical model is based on the variational approximation for the nonlocal Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE). At sufficiently low velocity of the incident molecule we observe quantum reflection from the potential well. Predictions of the mathematical model are compared with numerical simulations of the GPE, and good qualitative agreement between them is demonstrated

Stable two-dimensional dispersion-managed soliton

The existence of a dispersion-managed soliton in two-dimensional nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation with periodically varying dispersion has been explored. The averaged equations for the soliton width and chirp are obtained which successfully describe the long time evolution of the soliton. The slow dynamics of the soliton around the fixed points for the width and chirp are investigated and the corresponding frequencies are calculated. Analytical predictions are confirmed by direct PDE and ODE simulations. Application to a Bose-Einstein condensate in optical lattice is discussed. The existence of a dispersion-managed matter-wave soliton in such system is shown.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Modulational instability in two-component discrete media with cubic-quintic nonlinearity

The effect of cubic-quintic nonlinearity and associated intercomponent couplings on the modulational instability �MI� of plane-wave solutions of the two-component discrete nonlinear Schrödinger �DNLS� equation is considered. Conditions for the onset of MI are revealed and the growth rate of small perturbations is analytically derived. For the same set of initial parameters as equal amplitudes of plane waves and intercomponent coupling coefficients, the effect of quintic nonlinearity on MI is found to be essentially stronger than the effect of cubic nonlinearity. Analytical predictions are supported by numerical simulations of the underlying coupled cubic-quintic DNLS equation. Relevance of obtained results to dense Bose-Einstein condensates �BECs� in deep optical lattices, when three-body processes are essential, is discussed. In particular, the phase separation under the effect of MI in a two-component repulsive BEC loaded in a deep optical lattice is predicted and found in numerical simulations. Bimodal light propagation in waveguide arrays fabricated from optical materials with non-Kerr nonlinearity is discussed as another possible physical realization for the considered model

Variational analysis of soliton scattering by external potentials

Dynamics of the width and center-of-mass position of a matter wave soliton subject to interaction with arbitrary external potential is analyzed using the collective coordinates approach. It is shown that approximation of the trial function and external potential only in the interaction region of the spatial domain is sufficient for adequate description of the soliton scattering process. The validity of the developed approach is illustrated for the Gaussian and P¨oschl-Teller potentials