Abstract

Parametric solitons or simultaneous solitary waves (“simultons”), involving the optical X⁽²⁾ nonlinearity, have been the topic of much recent theoretical and experimental interest in nonlinear optics. We propose a novel mechanism by which a similar phenomenon may occur in nonlinear atomic optics, in which coherent molecule formation in a Bose-Einstein condensate takes the place of second harmonic generation.

© 1999 Optical Society of America