Spatial semiconductor resonator solitons with optical pumping

We investigate the influence of pumping (i.e. population inversion) of the nonlinear material on the optical bistability of semiconductor microresonators, the reduction of sustaining power for bright and dark solitons by pumping, and the influence of pumping on dynamics of solitons and the background on which they exist. Reduction of soliton sustaining power by a factor of 300 is observed for dark solitons and the role played by material transparency and laser threshold is clarified.