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Abstract

We investigate light propagation and self-localization in a voltage-controlled array of channel waveguides realized in undoped nematic liquid crystals. We report on discrete diffraction and solitons, as well as all-optical angular steering and the formation of multiband vector breathers. The results and are in excellent agreement with both coupled mode theory and full numerical simulations.

(1123 KB) Eigenvalue spectrum of the array (left), width of first and second gaps (center) and corresponding refractive index (cross sections at the center of the cell, x=0) for different biases. (Right) Gap 1 and gap 2 are between bands 0–1 and bands 1–2, respectively.

(222 KB) Animation showing light propagation in the plane (y,z), evolving from diffraction to discrete soliton generation as the power injected in a single channel ramps from 0.1.to 1.0mW. Here V=0.74V (z-and y-axes units are in µm).

Numerical (BPM) experiments on vectors breather in NLC: (a) Floquet-Bloch profiles (density plots) with corresponding refractive index distributions for V=1V (contour lines) and ky=1 in band 0 (top) and band 1 (bottom); (b) light propagation of FB modes belonging to band 0 (top) and band 1 (bottom) for P=0.2mW; (c) a vector breather generated by superimposing band 0 and band 1 excitations (b) with a total P=0.4mW.