The Quantum Theory of Paraxial Optical Fields, and Two-Photon Bound-States in a Self-Focusing Kerr Medium.

Y. R. Shen

R. Y. Chiao, Ivan Deutsch, J. C. Garrison

We derive a two-photon bound-state solution to the problem of quantum propagation of light in Kerr-effect nonlinear media which classically would exhibit self-focusing and self-trapping. We propose an experiment to see this two-photon bound state.

Mark S. Hillery, Leonard D. Mlodinow

J. Boyce, R. Y. Chiao

Summary form only given. The phenomena of self-focusing and defocusing in nonlinear optics can be viewed as arising from interactions between photons when the light propagation is paraxial and the Kerr nonlinearity is fast. We investigate one novel consequence of this, the existence of sound-like propagating photon density waves in a planar Fabry-Perot cavity containing a self-defocusing (n/sub 2/<0) nonlinear medium.

Jan Peřina

Ivan Deutsch, R. Y. Chiao, J. C. Garrison

We consider two-photon bound states which may be excited in a planar waveguide filled with a self-focusing Kerr material. These bound states are the quantum analogs of the classical light bullets which form under the combined effects of self-focusing, diffraction, self-phase-modulation, and anomalous group-velocity dispersion. A variational approach is used to establish a threshold condition on the strength of the nonlinearity for the existence of the bound state, and a gedanken experiment is proposed to outline the principles for creation and detection of this quasiparticle.