Surface optical solitons of self-induced transparency in indefinite media

M. Romagnoli, Stefan W. Wabnitz, M. L. Zoccolotti +1 more

Willem P. Beeker, Chris Lee, Edip Can +1 more

In this paper we investigate the properties of self-induced transparency (SIT) solitons, propagating in a $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$-type medium. We find that the interaction between SIT solitons can lead to trapping with their phases preserved in the ground-state coherence of the medium. These phases can be altered in a systematic way by the application of appropriate light fields, such as additional SIT solitons. Furthermore, multiple independent SIT solitons can be made to propagate as bisolitons through their mutual interaction with a separate light field. Finally, we demonstrate that control of the SIT soliton phase can be used to implement an optical exclusive-or (xor) gate.

Nikolay A. Veretenov, S. V. Fedorov, A. A. Gladkij +1 more

Evgeny V. Doktorov, R. A. Vlasov

Special features of generating a self-induced transparency in a medium with both resonant and non-resonant (Kerr-type) nonlinearities are considered. Soliton solutions of the Maxwell-Bloch equations are found, taking into account the diffraction divergence of the light beam. It is shown that solitons emerge in such a medium under conditions of two-dimensional optical beam scanning along the medium surface, and have non-coinciding propagating directions of the amplitude and phase fronts. As a necessary condition for the existence of solitons, there is a definite relationship between the scanning velocity and the parameters of the medium and radiation.

В. В. Козлов, Evald E. Fradkin

Gershon Kurizki, David Petrosyan, Tomáš Opatrný +2 more

Photonic crystals doped with resonant atoms allow for uniquely advantageous nonlinear modes of optical propagation. The first type of mode is self-induced transparency (SIT) solitons and multidimensional localized “bullets” propagating at photonic-bandgap frequencies. Such modes can exist even at ultraweak intensities (few photons) and therefore differ substantially either from solitons in Kerr-nonlinear photonic crystals or from SIT solitons in uniform media. The second type of mode is cross coupling between pulses exhibiting electromagnetically induced transparency and SIT gap solitons. We show that extremely strong correlations (giant cross-phase modulation) can be formed between the two pulses. These features may find applications in high-fidelity classical and quantum optical communications.