Self-organization of light in optical media with competing nonlinearities

Maucher, F; Pohl, T; Skupin, S; Krolikowski, W

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.116.163902

Self-organization of light in optical media with competing nonlinearities

Maucher, F; Pohl, T; Skupin, S; Krolikowski, W

Authors

F Maucher

T Pohl

S Skupin

W Krolikowski

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.

Citation

Maucher, F., Pohl, T., Skupin, S., & Krolikowski, W. (2016). Self-organization of light in optical media with competing nonlinearities. Physical Review Letters, 116(16), Article 163902. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.116.163902

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Oct 30, 2015
Online Publication Date	Apr 21, 2016
Publication Date	Apr 21, 2016
Deposit Date	Mar 30, 2016
Publicly Available Date	Apr 27, 2016
Journal	Physical Review Letters
Print ISSN	0031-9007
Electronic ISSN	1079-7114
Publisher	American Physical Society
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	116
Issue	16
Article Number	163902
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.116.163902

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