arXiv subjects

B. A. Malomed

Publications and source records attributed to B. A. Malomed.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

arXiv2005

Stabilization of three--dimensional light bullets by a transverse lattice in a Kerr medium with dispersion management

We demonstrate a possibility to stabilize three-dimensional spatiotemporal solitons ("light bullets") in self--focusing Kerr media by means of a combination of dispersion management in the longitudinal direction (with the group-velocity dispersion alternating between positive and negative values) and periodic modulation of the refractive index in one transverse direction, out of the two. The analysis is based on the variational approximation (results of direct three-dimensional simulations will be reported in a follow-up work). A predicted stability area is identified in the model's parameter space. It features a minimum of the necessary strength of the transverse modulation of the refractive index, and finite minimum and maximum values of the soliton's energy. The former feature is also explained analytically.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2005

Three-Dimensional Nonlinear Lattices: From Oblique Vortices and Octupoles to Discrete Diamonds and Vortex Cubes

We construct a variety of novel localized states with distinct topological structures in the 3D discrete nonlinear Schr{ö}dinger equation. The states can be created in Bose-Einstein condensates trapped in strong optical lattices, and crystals built of microresonators. These new structures, most of which have no counterparts in lower dimensions, range from purely real patterns of dipole, quadrupole and octupole types to vortex solutions, such as "diagonal" and "oblique" vortices, with axes oriented along the respective directions $(1,1,1)$ and $(1,1,0)$. Vortex "cubes" (stacks of two quasi-planar vortices with like or opposite polarities) and "diamonds" (discrete skyrmions formed by two vortices with orthogonal axes) are constructed too. We identify stability regions of these 3D solutions and compare them with their 2D counterparts, if any. An explanation for the stability/instability of most solutions is proposed. The evolution of unstable states is studied as well.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2005

Statics, Dynamics and Manipulations of Bright Matter-Wave Solitons in Optical Lattices

Motivated by recent experimental achievement in the work with Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs), we consider bright matter-wave solitons, in the presence of a parabolic magnetic trap and a spatially periodic optical lattice (OL), in the attractive BEC. We examine pinned states of the soliton and their stability by means of perturbation theory. The analytical predictions are found to be in good agreement with numerical simulations. We then explore possibilities to use a time-modulated OL as a means of stopping and trapping a moving soliton, and of transferring an initially stationary soliton to a prescribed position by a moving OL. We also study the emission of radiation from the soliton moving across the combined magnetic trap and OL. We find that the soliton moves freely (without radiation) across a weak lattice, but suffers strong loss for stronger OLs.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2004

Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking in Photonic Lattices: Theory and Experiment

We examine an example of spontaneous symmetry breaking in a double-well waveguide with a symmetric potential. The ground state of the system beyond a critical power becomes asymmetric. The effect is illustrated numerically, and quantitatively analyzed via a Galerkin truncation that clearly shows the bifurcation from a symmetric to an asymmetric steady state. This phenomenon is also demonstrated experimentally when a probe beam is launched appropriately into an optically induced photonic lattice in a photorefractive material.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2004

Stabilization of three-dimensional matter-waves solitons in an optical lattice

We propose an experimentally relevant scheme to create stable solitons in a three-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate confined by a one-dimensional optical lattice, using temporal modulation of the scattering length (through ac magnetic field tuned close to the Feshbach resonance). Another physical interpretation is a possibility to create stable 3D "light bullets" in an optical medium with a longitudinal alternating self-focusing/defocusing structure, and periodic modulation of the refractive index in a transverse direction. We develop a variational approximation to identify a stability region in the parametric space, and verify the existence of stable breathing solitons in direct simulations. Both methods reveal that stable solitons may be supported if the average value of the nonlinear coefficient (whose sign corresponds to attraction between atoms) and the lattice's strength exceed well-defined minimum values. Stable localized patterns may feature a multi-cell structure.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2004

Two-dimensional solitons with hidden and explicit vorticity in bimodal cubic-quintic media

We demonstrate that two-dimensional two-component bright solitons of an annular shape, carrying vorticities $(m,\pm m)$ in the components, may be stable in media with the cubic-quintic nonlinearity, including the \textit{hidden-vorticity} (HV) solitons of the type $(m,-m)$, whose net vorticity is zero. Stability regions for the vortices of both $(m,\pm m)$ types are identified for $m=1$, 2, and 3, by dint of the calculation of stability eigenvalues, and in direct simulations. A novel feature found in the study of the HV solitons is that their stability intervals never reach the (cutoff) point at which the bright vortex carries over into a dark one, hence dark HV solitons can never be stable, contrarily to the bright ones. In addition to the well-known symmetry-breaking (\textit{external}) instability, which splits the ring soliton into a set of fragments flying away in tangential directions, we report two new scenarios of the development of weak instabilities specific to the HV solitons. One features \textit{charge flipping}, with the two components exchanging the angular momentum and periodically reversing the sign of their spins. The composite soliton does not split in this case, therefore we identify such instability as an \textit{intrinsic} one. Eventually, the soliton splits, as weak radiation loss drives it across the border of the ordinary strong (external) instability. Another scenario proceeds through separation of the vortex cores in the two components, each individual core moving toward the outer edge of the annular soliton. After expulsion of the cores, there remains a zero-vorticity breather with persistent internal vibrations.

nlin.PS↗

arXiv2004

Vortices in a Bose-Einstein condensate confined by an optical lattice

We investigate the dynamics of vortices in repulsive Bose-Einstein condensates in the presence of an optical lattice (OL) and a parabolic magnetic trap. The dynamics is sensitive to the phase of the OL potential relative to the magnetic trap, and depends less on the OL strength. For the cosinusoidal OL potential, a local minimum is generated at the trap's center, creating a stable equilibrium for the vortex, while in the case of the sinusoidal potential, the vortex is expelled from the center, demonstrating spiral motion. Cases where the vortex is created far from the trap's center are also studied, revealing slow outward-spiraling drift. Numerical results are explained in an analytical form by means of a variational approximation. Finally, motivated by a discrete model (which is tantamount to the case of the strong OL lattice), we present a novel type of vortex consisting of two pairs of anti-phase solitons.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2004

Three-Dimensional Solitary Waves and Vortices in a Discrete Nonlinear Schr{ö}dinger Lattice

In a benchmark dynamical-lattice model in three dimensions, the discrete nonlinear Schr{ö}dinger equation, we find discrete vortex solitons with various values of the topological charge $S$. Stability regions for the vortices with $S=0,1,3$ are investigated. The S=2 vortex is unstable, spontaneously rearranging into a stable one with S=3. In a two-component extension of the model, we find a novel class of stable structures, consisting of vortices in the different components, perpendicularly oriented to each other. Self-localized states of the proposed types can be observed experimentally in Bose-Einstein condensates trapped in optical lattices, and in photonic crystals built of microresonators.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2004

Domain Walls of Single-Component Bose-Einstein Condensates in External Potentials

We demonstrate the possibility of creating domain walls described by a single component Gross-Pitaevskii equation with attractive interaction, in the presence of an optical-lattice potential. While it is found that the extended domain wall is unstable, we show that the external magnetic trap can stabilize it. Stable solutions include twisted domain walls, as well as asymmetric solitons. The results also apply to spatial solitons in planar waveguides with transverse modulation of the refractive index.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2004

Generation of photon-number entangled soliton pairs through interactions

Two new simple schemes for generating macroscopic (many-photon) continuous-variable entangled states by means of continuous interactions (rather than collisions) between solitons in optical fibers are proposed. First, quantum fluctuations around two time-separated single-component temporal solitons are considered. Almost perfect correlation between the photon-number fluctuations can be achieved after propagating a certain distance, with a suitable initial separation between the solitons. The photon-number correlation can also be achieved in a pair of vectorial solitons with two polarization components. In the latter case, the photon-number-entangled pulses can be easily separated by a polarization beam splitter. These results offer novel possibilities to produce entangled sources for quantum communication and computation.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2004

Two-dimensional loosely and tightly bound solitons in optical lattices and inverted traps

We study the dynamics of nonlinear localized excitations (solitons) in two-dimensional (2D) Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) with repulsive interactions, loaded into an optical lattice (OL), which is combined with an external parabolic potential. First, we demonstrate analytically that a broad (loosely bound, LB) soliton state, based on a 2D Bloch function near the edge of the Brillouin zone (BZ), has a negative effective mass (while the mass of a localized state is positive near the BZ center). The negative-mass soliton cannot be held by the usual trap, but it is safely confined by an inverted parabolic potential (anti-trap). Direct simulations demonstrate that the LB solitons (including the ones with intrinsic vorticity) are stable and can freely move on top of the OL. The frequency of elliptic motion of the LB-soliton's center in the anti-trapping potential is very close to the analytical prediction which treats the solition as a quasi-particle. In addition, the LB soliton of the vortex type features real rotation around its center. We also find an abrupt transition, which occurs with the increase of the number of atoms, from the negative-mass LB states to tightly bound (TB) solitons. An estimate demonstrates that, for the zero-vorticity states, the transition occurs when the number of atoms attains a critical number N=10^3, while for the vortex the transition takes place at N=5x10^3 atoms. The positive-mass LB states constructed near the BZ center (including vortices) can move freely too. The effects predicted for BECs also apply to optical spatial solitons in bulk photonic crystals.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2004

Resonant and Non-Resonant Modulated Amplitude Waves for Binary Bose-Einstein Condensates in Optical Lattices

We consider a system of two Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) equations, in the presence of an optical-lattice (OL) potential, coupled by both nonlinear and linear terms. This system describes a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) composed of two different spin states of the same atomic species, which interact linearly through a resonant electromagnetic field. In the absence of the OL, we find plane-wave solutions and examine their stability. In the presence of the OL, we derive a system of amplitude equations for spatially modulated states which are coupled to the periodic potential through the lowest-order subharmonic resonance. We determine this averaged system's equilibria, which represent spatially periodic solutions, and subsequently examine the stability of the corresponding solutions with direct simulations of the coupled GP equations. We find that symmetric (equal-amplitude) and asymmetric (unequal-amplitude) dual-mode resonant states are, respectively, stable and unstable. The unstable states generate periodic oscillations between the two condensate components, which is possible only because of the linear coupling between them. We also find four-mode states, but they are always unstable. Finally, we briefly consider ternary (three-component) condensates.

nlin.CD↗

arXiv2004

On the Modulational Instability of the Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation with Dissipation

The modulational instability of spatially uniform states in the nonlinear Schrödinger equation is examined in the presence of higher-order dissipation. The study is motivated by results on the effects of three-body recombination in Bose-Einstein condensates, as well as by the important recent work of Segur et al. on the effects of linear damping in NLS settings. We show how the presence of even the weakest possible dissipation suppresses the instability on a longer time scale. However, on a shorter scale, the instability growth may take place, and a corresponding generalization of the MI criterion is developed. The analytical results are corroborated by numerical simulations. The method is valid for any power-law dissipation form, including the constant dissipation as a special case.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2004

Dynamics of laser-induced lattice formation in Bose-Einstein condensates

We present variational and numerical solutions of the generalized Gross--Pitaevskii equation for an atomic Bose--Einstein condensate with time-dependent, laser-induced dipole-dipole interactions (LIDDI). The formation of a supersolid ground state due to LIDDI in an elongated (cigar-shaped) BEC is investigated. It is found that the supersolid structure emerges if the laser intensity exceeds a critical value, which depends on the linear density of atoms in the BEC.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2004

Dynamics of positive- and negative-mass solitons in optical lattices and inverted traps

We study the dynamics of one-dimensional solitons in the attractive and repulsive Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) loaded into an optical lattice (OL), which is combined with an external parabolic potential. First, we demonstrate analytically that, in the repulsive BEC, where the soliton is of the gap type, its effective mass is \emph{negative}. This gives rise to a prediction for the experiment: such a soliton cannot be not held by the usual parabolic trap, but it can be captured (performing harmonic oscillations) by an anti-trapping inverted parabolic potential. We also study the motion of the soliton a in long system, concluding that, in the cases of both the positive and negative mass, it moves freely, provided that its amplitude is below a certain critical value; above it, the soliton's velocity decreases due to the interaction with the OL. At a late stage, the damped motion becomes chaotic. We also investigate the evolution of a two-soliton pulse in the attractive model. The pulse generates a persistent breather, if its amplitude is not too large; otherwise, fusion into a single fundamental soliton takes place. Collisions between two solitons captured in the parabolic trap or anti-trap are considered too. Depending on their amplitudes and phase difference, the solitons either perform stable oscillations, colliding indefinitely many times, or merge into a single soliton. Effects reported in this work for BECs can also be formulated for optical solitons in nonlinear photonic crystals. In particular, the capture of the negative-mass soliton in the anti-trap implies that a bright optical soliton in a self-defocusing medium with a periodic structure of the refractive index may be stable in an anti-waveguide.

nlin.PS↗

arXiv2003

Multidimensional solitons in a low-dimensional periodic potential

Using the variational approximation(VA) and direct simulations, we find stable 2D and 3D solitons in the self-attractive Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE) with a potential which is uniform in one direction ($z$) and periodic in the others (but the quasi-1D potentials cannot stabilize 3D solitons). The family of solitons includes single- and multi-peaked ones. The results apply to Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) in optical lattices (OLs), and to spatial or spatiotemporal solitons in layered optical media. This is the first prediction of {\em mobile} 2D and 3D solitons in BECs, as they keep mobility along $z$. Head-on collisions of in-phase solitons lead to their fusion into a collapsing pulse. Solitons colliding in adjacent OL-induced channels may form a bound state (BS), which then relaxes to a stable asymmetric form. An initially unstable soliton splits into a three-soliton BS. Localized states in the self-repulsive GPE with the low-dimensional OL are found too.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2003

Two-soliton collisions in a near-integrable lattice system

We examine collisions between identical solitons in a weakly perturbed Ablowitz-Ladik (AL) model, augmented by either onsite cubic nonlinearity (which corresponds to the Salerno model, and may be realized as an array of strongly overlapping nonlinear optical waveguides), or a quintic perturbation, or both. Complex dependences of the outcomes of the collisions on the initial phase difference between the solitons and location of the collision point are observed. Large changes of amplitudes and velocities of the colliding solitons are generated by weak perturbations, showing that the elasticity of soliton collisions in the AL model is fragile (for instance, the Salerno's perturbation with the relative strength of 0.08 can give rise to a change of the solitons' amplitudes by a factor exceeding 2). Exact and approximate conservation laws in the perturbed system are examined, with a conclusion that the small perturbations very weakly affect the norm and energy conservation, but completely destroy the conservation of the lattice momentum, which is explained by the absence of the translational symmetry in generic nonintegrable lattice models. Data collected for a very large number of collisions correlate with this conclusion. Asymmetry of the collisions (which is explained by the dependence on the location of the central point of the collision relative to the lattice, and on the phase difference between the solitons) is investigated too, showing that the nonintegrability-induced effects grow almost linearly with the perturbation strength. Different perturbations (cubic and quintic ones) produce virtually identical collision-induced effects, which makes it possible to compensate them, thus finding a special perturbed system with almost elastic soliton collisions.

nlin.PS↗

arXiv2003

Quantum dissociation of a vortex-antivortex pair in a long Josephson junction

We report a theoretical analysis and experimental observation of the quantum dynamics of a single vortex-antivortex (VAV) pair confined in a long narrow annular Josephson junction. The switching of the junction from the superconducting state to the resistive state occurs via the dissociation of a pinned VAV pair. The pinning potential is controlled by external magnetic field $H$ and dc bias current $I$. We predict a specific magnetic field dependence of the oscillatory energy levels of the pinned VAV state and the crossover to a {\it macroscopic quantum tunneling} mechanism of VAV dissociation at low temperatures. Our analysis explains the experimentally observed {\it increase} of the width of the switching current distribution $P(I)$ with $H$ and the crossover to the quantum regime at the temperature of about 100 mK.

cond-mat.supr-con↗