Liquid optical fibers with a multistable core actuated by light radiation pressure

We report on spatiotemporal behavior of self-adapted dielectric liquid columns generated and sustained by light radiation pressure. We show that single- or multivalued liquid column diameter depends on the excitation light beam. When the beam diameter is sufficiently small, we observe a well-defined stationary column diameter. In contrast, at a larger beam diameter, the liquid column experiences complex spatiotemporal dynamics whose statistical analysis evidences an underlying multistable structure. Experimental observations are all supported by a full electromagnetic model that accounts for the wave guiding properties of the liquid column viewed as a step-index liquid-core liquid-cladding optical fiber having an optically tunable core diameter.