Diffractive resonant radiation emitted by spatial solitons in waveguide arrays

Area of Science:

• Nonlinear optics
• Condensed matter physics
• Waveguide optics

Background:

• Spatial solitons are self-trapped light beams in nonlinear media.
• Waveguide arrays with Kerr nonlinearity support complex soliton dynamics.
• Diffractive resonant radiation is a phenomenon observed in nonlinear systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analytically and numerically investigate diffractive resonant radiation from spatial solitons.
• To derive and validate the phase matching condition for soliton-radiation interaction.
• To describe the anomalous soliton recoil arising from folded dispersion.

Main Methods:

• Analytical derivations of phase matching conditions.
• Numerical simulations of pulse propagation in waveguide arrays.
• Analysis of soliton dynamics and radiation emission.

Main Results:

• The derived phase matching condition accurately predicts radiation generation.
• Simulations confirm the theoretical predictions for soliton-radiation interaction.
• Anomalous soliton recoil is observed and characterized, linked to Brillouin zone effects.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a comprehensive understanding of diffractive resonant radiation in nonlinear waveguide arrays.
• The novel phase matching condition is crucial for controlling soliton-radiation interactions.
• Folded dispersion in waveguide arrays leads to unique soliton recoil phenomena.