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Discrete vortex solitons and parity time symmetry
Daniel Leykam1, Vladimir V Konotop, Anton S Desyatnikov
1Nonlinear Physics Centre, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia. daniel.leykam@anu.edu.au
Optics Letters
|February 6, 2013
Summary
Parity time (PT) symmetric defects break vortex mode degeneracy, leading to complex eigenvalues. However, nonlinear modes with real propagation constants persist, offering new control mechanisms for discrete vortices.
Area of Science:
- Nonlinear optics
- Quantum mechanics
- Photonics
Background:
- Vortex modes in nonlinear waveguide arrays exhibit degeneracy.
- Parity-time (PT) symmetry offers unique properties in optical systems.
- Control of discrete vortices is crucial for optical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of a PT symmetric defect on the degeneracy of vortex modes.
- To explore the existence and stability of nonlinear propagating modes in the presence of such defects.
- To identify novel mechanisms for controlling discrete vortices using PT symmetric systems.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing discrete vortices in a circular array of nonlinear waveguides.
- Introducing a PT symmetric defect to lift the degeneracy of vortex modes.
- Analyzing the eigenvalues and stability of both linear and nonlinear modes.
Main Results:
- The PT symmetric defect breaks the degeneracy of linear vortex modes, resulting in complex eigenvalues.
- Nonlinear propagating modes with real propagation constants are shown to exist despite the PT symmetry breaking.
- The stability of these nonlinear modes is found to depend on the magnitude and sign of the vortex charge.
Conclusions:
- PT symmetric defects provide a method to lift vortex mode degeneracy.
- Nonlinear modes offer robustness against PT symmetry breaking.
- PT symmetric systems present new avenues for the active control of discrete vortices in optical systems.
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