Self-Organization of Light in Optical Media with Competing Nonlinearities

F. Maucher, T. Pohl, S. Skupin, and W. Krolikowski
Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 163902 – Published 21 April 2016
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Abstract

We study the propagation of light beams through optical media with competing nonlocal nonlinearities. We demonstrate that the nonlocality of competing focusing and defocusing nonlinearities gives rise to self-organization and stationary states with stable hexagonal intensity patterns, akin to transverse crystals of light filaments. Signatures of this long-range ordering are shown to be observable in the propagation of light in optical waveguides and even in free space. We consider a specific form of the nonlinear response that arises in atomic vapor upon proper light coupling. Yet, the general phenomenon of self-organization is a generic consequence of competing nonlocal nonlinearities, and may, hence, also be observed in other settings.

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  • Received 30 October 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.163902

© 2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Atomic, Molecular & Optical

Authors & Affiliations

F. Maucher1,2, T. Pohl3, S. Skupin4, and W. Krolikowski5,6

  • 1Joint Quantum Centre (JQC) Durham-Newcastle, Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
  • 2Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
  • 3Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, 01187 Dresden, Germany
  • 4Univ. Bordeaux—CNRS—CEA, Centre Lasers Intenses et Applications, UMR 5107, 33405 Talence, France
  • 5Laser Physics Centre, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
  • 6Science Program, Texas A&M University at Qatar, Doha, Qatar

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Issue

Vol. 116, Iss. 16 — 22 April 2016

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