Spatial Resonator Solitons

Spatial solitons can exist in various kinds of nonlinear optical resonators with and without amplification. In the past years different types of these localized structures such as vortices, bright, dark solitons and phase solitons have been experimentally shown to exist. Many links appear to exist to fields different from optics, such as fluids, phase transitions or particle physics. These spatial resonator solitons are bistable and due to their mobility suggest schemes of information processing not possible with the fixed bistable elements forming the basic ingredient of traditional electronic processing. The recent demonstration of existence and manipulation of spatial solitons in emiconductor microresonators represents a step in the direction of such optical parallel processing applications. We review pattern formation and solitons in a general context, show some proof of principle soliton experiments on slow systems, and describe in more detail the experiments on semiconductor resonator solitons which are aimed at applications.Comment: 15 pages, 32 figure

Cavity solitons in bidirectional lasers

We show theoretically that a broad area bidirectional laser with slightly different cavity losses for the two counterpropagating fields sustains cavity solitons (CSs). These structures are complementary, i.e., there is a bright (dark) CS in the field with more (less) losses. Interestingly, the CSs can be written/erased by injecting suitable pulses in any of the two counterpropagating fields.Comment: 4 figure

Creation, doubling, and splitting, of vortices in intracavity second harmonic generation

We demonstrate generation and frequency doubling of unit charge vortices in a linear astigmatic resonator. Topological instability of the double charge harmonic vortices leads to well separated vortex cores that are shown to rotate, and become anisotropic, as the resonator is tuned across resonance

Diffusion stabilizes cavity solitons in bidirectional lasers

We study the influence of field diffusion on the spatial localized structures (cavity solitons) recently predicted in bidirectional lasers. We find twofold positive role of the diffusion: 1) it increases the stability range of the individual (isolated) solitons; 2) it reduces the long-range interaction between the cavity solitons. Latter allows the independent manipulation (writing and erasing) of individual cavity solitons.Comment: submitted to Optics Expres

Optical, vibrational, thermal, electrical, damage and phase-matching properties of lithium thioindate

Lithium thioindate (LiInS$_{2}$) is a new nonlinear chalcogenide biaxial material transparent from 0.4 to 12 $\mu$m, that has been successfully grown in large sizes and good optical quality. We report on new physical properties that are relevant for laser and nonlinear optics applications. With respect to AgGaS(e)$_2$ ternary chalcopyrite materials, LiInS$_{2}$ displays a nearly-isotropic thermal expansion behavior, a 5-times larger thermal conductivity associated with high optical damage thresholds, and an extremely low intensity-dependent absorption allowing direct high-power downconversion from the near-IR to the deep mid-IR. Continuous-wave difference-frequency generation (5-11$\mu$m) of Ti:sapphire laser sources is reported for the first time.Comment: 27 pages, 21 figures. Replaces the previous preprint (physics/0307082) with the final version as it will be published in J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 21(11) (Nov. 2004 issue

Spatial Solitons and Anderson Localization

Stochastic (Anderson) localization is the spatial localization of the wave-function of quantum particles in random media. We show, that a corresponding phenomenon can stabilize spatial solitons in optical resonators: spatial solitons in resonators with randomly distorted mirrors are more stable than in perfect mirror resonators. We demonstrate the phenomenon numerically, by investigating solitons in lasers with saturable absorber, and analytically by deriving and analyzing coupled equations of spatially coherent and incoherent field components.Comment: submitted to Phys.Rev.