Stable higher-charge vortex solitons in the cubic-quintic medium with a ring potential.

We put forward a model for trapping stable optical vortex solitons (VSs) with high topological charges m. The cubic-quintic nonlinear medium with an imprinted ring-shaped modulation of the refractive index is shown to support two branches of VSs, which are controlled by the radius, width, and depth of the modulation profile. While the lower-branch VSs are unstable in their nearly whole existence domain, the upper branch is completely stable. Vortex solitons with m ≤ 12 obey the anti-Vakhitov-Kolokolov stability criterion. The results suggest possibilities for the creation of stable narrow optical VSs with a low power, carrying higher vorticities.

Vortex Solitons in Twisted Circular Waveguide Arrays.

We address the formation of topological states in twisted circular waveguide arrays and find that twisting leads to important differences of the fundamental properties of new vortex solitons with opposite topological charges that arise in the nonlinear regime. We find that such system features the rare property that clockwise and counterclockwise vortex states are nonequivalent. Focusing on arrays with C_{6v} discrete rotation symmetry, we find that a longitudinal twist stabilizes the vortex solitons with the lowest topological charges m=±1, which are always unstable in untwisted arrays with the same symmetry. Twisting also leads to the appearance of instability domains for otherwise stable solitons with m=±2 and generates vortex modes with topological charges m=±3 that are forbidden in untwisted arrays. By and large, we establish a rigorous relation between the discrete rotation symmetry of the array, its twist direction, and the possible soliton topological charges.

Fundamental and multipole solitons in amplitude-modulated Fibonacci lattices.

We investigated the existence and stability of fundamental and multipole solitons supported by amplitude-modulated Fibonacci lattices with self-focusing nonlinearity. Owing to the quasi-periodicity of Fibonacci lattices, families of solitons localized in different waveguides have different properties. We found that the existence domain of fundamental solitons localized in the central lattice is larger than that of solitons localized in the adjacent central waveguide. The former counterparts are completely stable in their existence region, while the latter have a narrow unstable region near the lower cut-off. Two families of dipole solitons were also comprehensively studied. We found the outer lattice distribution can significantly change the existence region of solitons. In addition, we specifically analyzed the properties of four complicated multipole solitons with pole numbers 3, 5, 7, and 9. In the Fibonacci lattice, their field moduli of multipole solitons are all asymmetrically distributed. The linear-stability analysis and direct simulations reveal that as the number of poles of the multipole soliton increases, its stable domain is compressed. Our results provide helpful insight for understanding the dynamics of nonlinear localized multipole modes in Fibonacci lattices with an optical nonlinearity.

Fundamental and vortex gap solitons in quasiperiodic photonic lattices.

We address the existence and stability of fundamental, single-charged vortex, and double-charged vortex gap solitons in two-dimensional quasiperiodic photonic lattices imprinted in a Kerr-type medium. Fundamental and vortex gap solitons can bifurcate from linear localized states or their combination supported by quasiperiodic lattices for both defocusing and focusing nonlinearities. We find that the three types of solitons mentioned above are stable in the entire existence domain for defocusing nonlinearities, and that they can also be stable at a lower power level for focusing nonlinearities. At higher power, unstable solitons are characterized by a ring-shaped symmetry-breaking distribution, and the unique spot profile formed is repeatedly observed with changes in propagation distance.

Rotating Multidimensional Quantum Droplets.

We predict a new type of two- and three-dimensional stable quantum droplets persistently rotating in broad external two-dimensional and weakly anharmonic potential. Their evolution is described by the system of the Gross-Pitaevskii equations with Lee-Huang-Yang quantum corrections. Such droplets resemble whispering-gallery modes localized in the polar direction due to nonlinear interactions and, depending on their chemical potential and rotation frequency, they appear in rich variety of shapes, ranging from nearly flat-top or strongly localized rotating wave packets, to crescentlike objects extending nearly over the entire range of polar angles. Above critical rotation frequency quantum droplets transform into vortex droplets (in two dimensions) or vortex tori (in three dimensions), whose topological charge gradually increase with the increase of the modulus of chemical potential, and therefore they belong to the family of nonlinear modes connecting fundamental and vortex quantum droplets. Rotating quantum droplets are exceptionally robust objects, stable practically in the entire range of their existence.

Dissipative solitons supported by transversal single- or three-channel amplifying chirped lattices.

We study the properties of dissipative solitons supported by a chirped lattice in a focusing Kerr medium with nonlinear loss and a transversal linear gain landscape consisting of single or three amplifying channels. The existence and stability of two types of dissipative solitons, including fundamental and three-peaked twisted solitons, have been explored. Stable fundamental solitons can only be found in a single-channel gain chirped lattice, and stable three-peaked twisted solitons can only be obtained in a three-channel gain chirped lattice. The instability of two types of dissipative solitons can be suppressed at a high chirp rate. Also, robust fundamental and three-peaked twisted nonlinear states can be obtained by excitation of Gaussian beams of arbitrary width in corresponding characteristic structures.

Asymmetric dissipative solitons in a waveguide lattice with non-uniform gain-loss distributions.

We address the existence and stability of two types of asymmetric dissipative solitons, including fundamental and dipole solitons, supported by a waveguide lattice with non-uniform gain-loss distributions. Fundamental solitons exist only when the linear gain width is greater than or equal to the linear loss width, while dipole solitons exist only when the linear gain width is less than or equal to the linear loss width. With an increase in the relative gain depth, the effective width of the soliton gradually decreases. In addition, we find that both asymmetric fundamental and dipole solitons are stable in a considerable part of their lower edge of existence regions, and solitons beyond this range are unstable.

Localization and Anderson delocalization of light in fractional dimensions with a quasi-periodic lattice.

We address the properties of wavepacket localization-delocalization transition (LDT) in fractional dimensions with a quasi-periodic lattice. The LDT point, which is generally determined by the competition between two sub-lattices comprising the quasi-periodic lattice, turns out to be inversely proportional to the Lévy index. Surprisingly, we find that, in the presence of weak structural disorder, anti-Anderson localization occurs, i.e., the introduced disorder results in an increasing of the size of the linear modes. Inclusion of a weak focusing nonlinearity is shown to improve localization. The propagation simulation achieves excellent agreement with the linear and nonlinear eigenmode analysis.

Simultaneous measurement of liquid surface tension and contact angle by light reflection.

We present an optical method of simultaneous measurement of liquid surface tension, contact angle, and the curved liquid surface shape, which uses the light reflection from this liquid surface due to the wettability. When an expanded and collimated laser beam is incident upon the curved liquid surfaces vertically, the special light reflection pattern, which includes a dark central region and a bright field outside, was observed. A critical spot on the curved liquid surface was found, and the dark field distribution is related to both the width of incidence beam and this critical spot. In our experiment, the different dark field distribution patterns were recorded when the width of the incidence beam changed. The liquid surface tension, contact angle, and the liquid surface shape were measured simultaneously. The proposed method is a new effective tool for present wetting characterization methods.

Dissipative surface solitons in a nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation.

We study the existence and stability of dissipative surface solitons supported by the nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation (NLFSE) with an interface between a semi-infinite chirped lattice and a uniform Kerr medium. In such a system, the existence domain of dissipative surface solitons depends on an upper cutoff value of the linear gain coefficient at a fixed nonlinear loss. The results of the linear stability analysis are in good agreement with that of the propagation simulation in a fractional dimension. Stable dissipative surface solitons generally feature low energy and small propagation constants and adapt to a wide range of two-photon absorption. The instability of solitons can be suppressed by increasing the chirp rate of the lattice. Robust nonlinear dissipative surface states can be easily excited by a Gaussian input beam. Similar characteristics of the two-dimensional dissipative surface solitons are also addressed.

Nonlocal solitons in fractional dimensions.

We report the existence and stability properties of multipole-mode solitons supported by the nonlinear Schrödinger equation featuring a combination of the fractional-order diffraction effect and nonlocal focusing Kerr-type nonlinearity. We reveal that multipole-mode solitons, including an arbitrary number of peaks, can propagate stably in fractional systems provided that the propagation constant exceeds a certain value, which is in sharp contrast to conventional nonlocal systems under a normal diffraction, where bound states composed of five peaks or more are completely unstable. Thus, we demonstrate, to the best of our knowledge, the first example of nonlocal solitons in fractional configurations.

Double-hump solitons in fractional dimensions with a 𝒫𝒯-symmetric potential.

We investigate the properties of double-hump solitons supported by the nonlinear Schrödinger equation featuring a combination of parity-time symmetry and fractional-order diffraction effect. Two classes of nonlinear states, i.e., out-of-phase and in-phase solitons are found. Each class contains two families of solitons originating from the same linear mode in both focusing and defocusing nonlinear Kerr media. The critical phase-transition point increases monotonously with increasing Lévy index. For strong gain and loss, out-of-phase solitons in focusing media are stable in a wide parameter window and are almost completely unstable in media with a defocusing nonlinearity. The stability of in-phase solitons is opposite to that of out-of-phase solitons. In-phase solitons in defocusing media are stable in their entire existence domains provided that the gain-loss strength is below a critical value. Meanwhile, the stability region shrinks with the decrease of Lévy index. We, thus, put forward the first example of spatial solitons in fractional dimensions with a parity-time symmetry.

Surface gap solitons in a nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation.

We address the propagation dynamics of gap solitons at the interface between uniform media and an optical lattice in the framework of a nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation. Different families of solitons residing in the first and second bandgaps of the Floquet-Bloch spectrum are revealed. They feature a combination of the unique properties of fractional diffraction effects, surface waves and gap solitons. The instability of solitons can be remarkably suppressed by the decrease of Lévy index, especially obvious for solitons in the second gaps. Additionally, we study the properties of multi-peaked solitons in fractional dimensions and find that they can be made completely stable in a wide region, provided that their power exceeds a critical value. Counterintuitively, at a small Lévy index, the instability region shrinks with the increase of the number of soliton peaks.

Gap solitons in the nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation with an optical lattice.

We predict the existence of gap solitons in the nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation (NLFSE) with an imprinted optically harmonic lattice. Symmetric/antisymmetric nonlinear localized modes bifurcate from the lower/upper edge of the first/second band in defocusing/focusing Kerr media. A unique feature we revealed is that, in focusing Kerr media, stable solitons appear in the finite bandgaps with the decrease of the Lévy index, which is in sharp contrast to the standard NLSE with a focusing nonlinearity. Nonlinear bound states composed by in-phase and out-of-phase soliton units supported by the NLFSE are also uncovered. Our work may pave the way for the study of spatial lattice solitons in fractional dimensions.

Stable vortex solitons in a ring-shaped partially-PT-symmetric potential.

We address the existence and stability of vortex solitons in a ring-shaped partially-parity-time (pPT) configuration. In sharp contrast to the reported nonlinear modes in PT- or pPT-symmetric systems, stable vortex solitons with different topological charges can be supported by the proposed pPT potential, despite the system always being beyond the symmetry-breaking point. Vortex solitons are characterized by the number of phase singularities which equals the corresponding topological charge. At higher power, unstable higher-charged vortices degenerate into stable vortices with lower charges. Robust nonlinear vortices can be easily excited by an input Gaussian beam. Our results provide, to the best of our knowledge, the first example of stable solitons in a symmetry-breaking system.

2D in-band solitons in PT-symmetric waveguide arrays.

We address two types of two-dimensional (2D) localized solitons in Kerr media with an imprinted quasi-one-dimensional lattice featuring a parity-time (PT) symmetry. Solitary waves originating from the edges of the Bloch bands are stable in their entire existence domains. Purely nonlinear multipeaked states propagate stably in wide parameter windows. Both types of nonlinear waves exist in the finite bandgaps of the corresponding linear system and, cross-continuously, the Bloch band (continuous spectrum) sandwiched between (or neighboring) them. To the best of our knowledge, our findings thus provide the first example of "embedded solitons" in 2D PT periodic systems.

Diffraction management and soliton dynamics in frequency-chirped ℙT symmetric lattices.

We address two closely related problems: diffraction management and soliton dynamics in parity-time ( ℙT) symmetric lattices with a quadratic frequency modulation. The normal, anomalous, or zero diffraction is possible for narrow beams with a broad band of spatial frequencies. The frequency band of nondiffraction beams can be enlarged by increasing the chirp rate of lattices. Counter-intuitively, the gain-loss component plays the same role as the real part of lattice on the suppression of diffraction, which leads to an effective reduction of critical lattice depth for nondiffraction beams. Additionally, we reveal the existence of a novel type of "bright" solitons in defocusing Kerr media modulated by chirped ℙT lattices. We also demonstrate that lattice chirp can be utilized to suppress the instability of solitons. Our results expand the concept of ℙT symmetry in both linear and nonlinear regimes, and may find interesting optical applications.

Propagation characteristics of continuously tuning distorted Airy-like beams.

We investigate theoretically and observe experimentally a continuously tuning distorted Airy-like beam, which is generated by introducing a controllable rotation angle into the phase patterns. The beam wavefront can be tuned flexibly by using the introduced angle. The main lobes of beams can be controlled readily to propagate along specified parabolic trajectories. The relevant optical behaviors are discussed and demonstrated in detail. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical analysis. The intriguing characteristics of the continuously tuning Airy-like beams could provide more degrees of freedom in cell and atom manipulation.

Stabilization of multipole-mode solitons in mixed linear-nonlinear lattices with a PT symmetry.

We report the evolution of higher-order nonlinear states in a focusing cubic medium, where both the linear refractive index and the nonlinearity are spatially modulated by a complex optical lattice exhibiting a parity-time (PT) symmetry. We reveal that introduction of out-of-phase nonlinearity modulation makes possible the stabilization of higher-order solitons with number of poles up to 7, which are highly unstable in linear PT lattices. Under appropriate conditions, multipole-mode solitons with out-of-phase components in the neighboring lattice sites are completely stable provided that their power or propagation constant exceeds a critical value. Thus, our findings suggest an effective way for the realization of stable multipole-mode solitons in periodic potentials with gain-loss components.

Generation of optical accelerating regular triple-cusp beams and their topological structures.

By using the diffractive optical elements written onto a spatial light modulator, we experimentally obtain optical regular triple-cusp beams. Their propagation characteristics and topological structures are subsequently investigated. The experimental results demonstrate that each cusp of an optical regular triple-cusp beam, similar to the main lobe of an Airy beam, propagates along curved paths in free space, hence tends to adopt the "transverse acceleration" property. Moreover, we experimentally prove that optical regular triple-cusp beams can resist local distorted deformation. Such beams can thus be applied in adverse optical environments, such as a probe for the exploration of microscopic world and as an energy source for research on high-field laser-matter interactions.