Abstract

Self-action of light is a subject of constant investigation because of the fascinating phenomena encountered and their potential applications to all-optical signal processing devices. Optical solitons, both temporal and spatial, play a central role in such scenario because of their unique particlelike properties. Here we study the spatial case. Until recently, optical solitons and their applications have been pursued with use of the Kerr effect in cubic nonlinear media and the photo refractive effect. However, solitons (more properly, solitary waves) also form in quadratic nonlinear media, hereafter referred as χ⁽²⁾ media.⁵ Solitons in quadratic nonlinear media exist in a variety of wave and material conditions and they have been observed experimentally in bulk media and in planar waveguides.²

© 1997 Optical Society of America