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Stefano Trillo

Publications and source records attributed to Stefano Trillo.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Multiple quasi-phase matched resonant radiations induced by modulation instability in dispersion oscillating fibers

The propagation of a continuous wave in the average anomalous dispersion region of a dispersion oscillating fiber is investigated numerically and experimentally. We demonstrate that the train of solitons arising from modulation instability is strongly affected by the periodic variations of the fiber dispersion. This leads to the emission of multiple resonant radiations located on both sides of the spectrum. Numerical simulations confirm the experimental results and the position of the resonant radiations is well predicted by means of perturbation theory.

physics.optics↗

Parametric excitation of multiple resonant radiations from localized wavepackets

Fundamental physical phenomena such as laser-induced ionization, driven quantum tunneling, Faraday waves, Bogoliubov quasiparticle excitations, and the control of new states of matter rely on time-periodic driving of the system. A remarkable property of such driving is that it can induce the localized (bound) states to resonantly couple to the continuum. Therefore experiments that allow for enlightening and controlling the mechanisms underlying such coupling are of paramount importance. We implement such an experiment in a special fiber optics system characterized by a dispersion oscillating along the propagation coordinate, which mimics "time". The quasi-momentum associated with such periodic perturbation is responsible for the efficient coupling of energy from the localized wave-packets sustained by the fiber nonlinearity into free-running linear dispersive waves (continuum), at multiple resonant frequencies. Remarkably, the observed resonances can be explained by means of a unified approach, regardless of the fact that the localized state is a soliton-like pulse or a shock front.

physics.optics↗

Modulational instability in dispersion oscillating fiber ring cavities

We show that the use of a dispersion oscillating fiber in passive cavities significantly extend modulational instability to novel high-frequency bands, which also destabilize the branches of the steady response which are stable with homogeneous dispersion. By means of Floquet theory, we obtain exact explicit expression for the sideband gain, and a simple analytical estimate for the frequencies of maximum gain. Numerical simulations show that stable stationary trains of pulses can be excited in the cavity.

physics.optics↗

Breaking mechanism from a vacuum point in the defocusing nonlinear Schroedinger equation

We study the wave breaking mechanism for the weakly dispersive defocusing nonlinear Schroedinger (NLS) equation with a constant phase dark initial datum that contains a vacuum point at the origin. We prove by means of the exact solution to the initial value problem that, in the dispersionless limit, the vacuum point is preserved by the dynamics until breaking occurs at a finite critical time. In particular, both Riemann invariants experience a simultaneous breaking at the origin. Although the initial vacuum point is no longer preserved in the presence of a finite dispersion, the critical behaviour manifests itself through an abrupt transition occurring around the breaking time.

nlin.SI↗

Resonant radiation shed by dispersive shock waves

We show that dispersive shock waves resulting from the nonlinearity overbalancing a weak leading-order dispersion can emit resonant radiation owing to higher-order dispersive contributions. We analyze such phenomenon for the defocusing nonlinear Schroedinger equation, giving criteria for calculating the radiated frequency based on the estimate of the shock velocity, revealing also a diversity of possible scenarios depending on the order and magnitude of the dispersive corrections.

nlin.PS↗

Negative-frequency dispersive wave generation in quadratic media

We show that the extremely blue-shifted dispersive wave emitted in Kerr media owing to the coupling with the negative-frequency branch [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 108}, 253901 (2012)] can be observed in quadratic media via second-harmonic generation. Not only such phenomenon is thus independent on the specific nonlinear mechanism, but it is shown to occur regardless of the fact that the process is pumped by a pulse which exhibits soliton-like features or, viceversa, undergoes wave-breaking. A simple unified formula gives the frequencies of the emitted dispersive waves in both cases.

physics.optics↗

Suppression of transverse instabilities of dark solitons and their dispersive shock waves

We investigate the impact of nonlocality, owing to diffusive behavior, on transverse instabilities of a dark stripe propagating in a defocusing cubic medium. The nonlocal response turns out to have a strongly stabilizing effect both in the case of a single soliton input and in the regime where dispersive shock waves develop "multisoliton regime". Such conclusions are supported by the linear stability analysis and numerical simulation of the propagation.

physics.optics↗

Oscillatory dynamics in nanocavities with noninstantaneous Kerr response

We investigate the impact of a finite response time of Kerr nonlinearities over the onset of spontaneous oscillations (self-pulsing) occurring in a nanocavity. The complete characterization of the underlying Hopf bifurcation in the full parameter space allows us to show the existence of a critical value of the response time and to envisage different regimes of competition with bistability. The transition from a stable oscillatory state to chaos is found to occur only in cavities which are detuned far off-resonance, which turns out to be mutually exclusive with the region where the cavity can operate as a bistable switch.

nlin.CD↗

A collective modulation instability of multiple four-wave mixing

We investigate the modulation instability of multiple four-wave mixing arising from a dual-frequency pump in a single-mode fiber or waveguide. By applying the Floquet theory on account of the periodic nature of four-wave mixing, we reveal a collective type of instability occurring in the anomalous dispersion regime. Our interpretation of the linear stability analysis is validated by the numerical solution of the nonlinear Schroedinger equation

physics.optics↗

Observation of a gradient catastrophe generating solitons

We investigate the propagation of a dark beam in a defocusing medium in the strong nonlinear regime. We observe for the first time a shock fan filled with non-interacting one-dimensional grey solitons that emanates from a gradient catastrophe developing around a null of the optical intensity. Remarkably this scenario turns out to be very robust, persisting also when the material nonlocal response averages the nonlinearity over dimensions much larger than the emerging soliton filaments.

physics.optics↗

Free-energy transition in a gas of non-interacting nonlinear wave-particles

We investigate the dynamics of a gas of non-interacting particle-like soliton waves, demonstrating that phase transitions originate from their collective behavior. This is predicted by solving exactly the nonlinear equations and by employing methods of the statistical mechanics of chaos. In particular, we show that a suitable free energy undergoes a metamorphosis as the input excitation is increased, thereby developing a first order phase transition whose measurable manifestation is the formation of shock waves. This demonstrates that even the simplest phase-space dynamics, involving independent (uncoupled) degrees of freedom, can sustain critical phenomena.

nlin.PS↗

Shocks in nonlocal media

We investigate the formation of collisionless shocks along the spatial profile of a gaussian laser beam propagating in nonlocal nonlinear media. For defocusing nonlinearity the shock survives the smoothing effect of the nonlocal response, though its dynamics is qualitatively affected by the latter, whereas for focusing nonlinearity it dominates over filamentation. The patterns observed in a thermal defocusing medium are interpreted in the framework of our theory.

physics.optics↗

Laser beam filamentation in fractal aggregates

We investigate filamentation of a cw laser beam in soft matter such as colloidal suspensions and fractal gels. The process, driven by electrostriction, is strongly affected by material properties, which are taken into account via the static structure factor, and have impact on the statistics of the light filaments.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

Optical spatial solitons in soft-matter: mode coupling theory approach

We predict that spatial self-trapping of light can occur in soft matter encompassing a wide class of new materials such as colloids, foams, gels, fractal aggregates etc. We develop a general nonlocal theory that allows to relate the properties of the trapped state of Maxwell equations to the measurable static structure factor of the specific material. We give numerical evidence for stable trapping in fractal aggregates and suggest also the possibility of soliton spectroscopy of soft-matter.

physics.optics↗

Matter X waves

We predict that an ultra-cold Bose gas in an optical lattice can give rise to a new form of condensation, namely matter X waves. These are non-spreading 3D wave-packets which reflect the symmetry of the Laplacian with a negative effective mass along the lattice direction, and are allowed to exist in the absence of any trapping potential even in the limit of non-interacting atoms. This result has also strong implications for optical propagation in periodic structures

physics.atom-ph↗

Bifurcation of gap solitons through catastrophe theory

In the theory of optical gap solitons, slowly-moving finite-amplitude Lorentzian solutions are found to mediate the transition from bright to coexistent dark-antidark solitary wave pairs when the laser frequency is detuned out of the proper edge of a dynamical photonic bandgap. Catastrophe theory is applied to give a geometrical description of this strongly asymmetrical 'morphing' process.

physics.optics↗