Ljupčo Hadžievski

Non-invasive respiratory monitoring using long-period fiber grating sensors

In non-invasive ventilation, continuous monitoring of respiratory volumes is essential. Here, we present a method for the measurement of respiratory volumes by a single fiber-grating sensor of bending and provide the proof-of-principle by applying a calibration-test measurement procedure on a set of 18 healthy volunteers. Results establish a linear correlation between a change in lung volume and the corresponding change in a local thorax curvature. They also show good sensor accuracy in measurements of tidal and minute respiratory volumes for different types of breathing. The proposed technique does not rely on the air flow through an oronasal mask or the observation of chest movement by a clinician, which distinguishes it from the current clinical practice.

Dynamics of electromagnetic solitons in a relativistic plasma

Dynamical features of one-dimensional electromagnetic solitons formed in a relativistic interaction of a linearly polarized laser light with underdense cold plasma are investigated. The relativistic Lorentz force in an intense laser light pushes electrons into longitudinal motion, generating coupled longitudinal-transverse waves. In a weakly relativistic approximation these modes are well described by the generalized nonlinear Schrodinger type of equation, with two extra nonlocal terms. Here, an original analytical solution for a moving electromagnetic soliton is derived in an implicit form. For an isolated soliton, our analysis shows that the motion downshifts the soliton eigenfrequency and decreases its amplitude. The effect of the soliton velocity on the stability is analytically predicted and checked numerically. Results show shifting of the stability region toward larger amplitudes in comparison to the standing soliton case. Rich dynamics with examples of (un)stable soliton propagation and breather c...

Stable Periodic Density Waves in Dipolar Bose-Einstein Condensates Trapped in Optical Lattices

Density-wave patterns in discrete media with local interactions are known to be unstable. We demonstrate that stable double- and triple-period patterns (DPPs and TPPs), with respect to the period of the underlying lattice, exist in media with nonlocal nonlinearity. This is shown in detail for dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates, loaded into a deep one-dimensional optical lattice. The DPP and TPP emerge via phase transitions of the second and first kind, respectively. The emerging patterns may be stable if the dipole-dipole interactions are repulsive and sufficiently strong, in comparison with the local repulsive nonlinearity. Within the set of the considered states, the TPPs realize a minimum of the free energy. A vast stability region for the TPPs is found in the parameter space, while the DPP stability region is relatively narrow. The same mechanism may create stable density-wave patterns in other physical media featuring nonlocal interactions.

Tamm oscillations in semi-infinite nonlinear waveguide arrays

We demonstrate the existence of nonlinear Tamm oscillations at the interface between a substrate and a one-dimensional waveguide array with either cubic or saturable, self-focusing or self-defocusing nonlinearity. Light is trapped in the vicinity of the array boundary due to the interplay between the repulsive edge potential and Bragg reflection inside the array. In the special case when this potential is linear these oscillations reduce themselves to surface Bloch oscillations.

Composite localized modes in discretized spin–orbit-coupled Bose–Einstein condensates

We introduce a discrete model for binary spin-orbit-coupled (SOC) Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) trapped in a deep one-dimensional optical lattice. Two different types of the couplings are considered, with spatial derivatives acting inside each species, or between the species. The discrete system with inter-site couplings dominated by the SOC, while the usual hopping is negligible, \textit{emulates} condensates composed of extremely heavy atoms, as well as those with opposite signs of the effective atomic masses in the two components.\ Stable localized composite states of miscible and immiscible types are constructed. The effect of the SOC on the immiscibility-miscibility transition in the localized complexes, which emulates the phase transition between insulating and conducting states in semiconductors, is studied.

Discrete localized modes supported by an inhomogeneous defocusing nonlinearity.

We report that infinite and semi-infinite lattices with spatially inhomogeneous self-defocusing (SDF) onsite nonlinearity, whose strength increases rapidly enough toward the lattice periphery, support stable unstaggered (UnST) discrete bright solitons, which do not exist in lattices with the spatially uniform SDF nonlinearity. The UnST solitons coexist with stable staggered (ST) localized modes, which are always possible under the defocusing onsite nonlinearity. The results are obtained in a numerical form and also by means of variational approximation (VA). In the semi-infinite (truncated) system, some solutions for the UnST surface solitons are produced in an exact form. On the contrary to surface discrete solitons in uniform truncated lattices, the threshold value of the norm vanishes for the UnST solitons in the present system. Stability regions for the novel UnST solitons are identified. The same results imply the existence of ST discrete solitons in lattices with the spatially growing self-focusing nonlinearity, where such solitons cannot exist either if the nonlinearity is homogeneous. In addition, a lattice with the uniform onsite SDF nonlinearity and exponentially decaying intersite coupling is introduced and briefly considered. Via a similar mechanism, it may also support UnST discrete solitons. The results may be realized in arrayed optical waveguides and collisionally inhomogeneous Bose-Einstein condensates trapped in deep optical lattices. A generalization for a two-dimensional system is briefly considered.

High- and low-frequency phonon modes in dipolar quantum gases trapped in deep lattices

We study normal modes propagating on top of the stable uniform background in arrays of dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) droplets trapped in a deep optical lattice. Both the on-site mean-field dynamics of the droplets and their displacement due to the repulsive dipole-dipole interactions (DDIs) are taken into account. Dispersion relations for two modes, \textit{viz}., high- and low- frequency counterparts of optical and acoustic phonon modes in condensed matter, are derived analytically and verified by direct simulations, for both cases of the repulsive and attractive contact interactions. The (counterpart of the) optical-phonon branch does not exist without the DDIs. These results are relevant in the connection to emerging experimental techniques enabling real-time imaging of the condensate dynamics and direct experimental measurement of phonon dispersion relations in BECs.

Fibre-grating sensors for the measurement of physiological pulsations

Mechanical physiological pulsations are movements of a body surface incited by the movements of muscles in organs inside the body. Here we demonstrate the use of long-period grating sensors in the detection of cardio-vascular pulsations (CVP), in particular apex and carotid pulsations. To calibrate the sensors, we use a mechanical tool designed specifically to measure the sensor response to a localized perturbation at different grating curvatures as working points. From the data we infer the amplitude of the CVP. Together with the electrophysiological signals, the CVP signals obtained from the sensors can provide significant information on heart function which is inaccessible to the electrocardiogram. The low cost and easy handling of the fibre sensors increase their prospects to become the sensors of choice for novel diagnostic devices.

Localized modes in mini-gaps opened by periodically modulated intersite coupling in two-dimensional nonlinear lattices

Spatially periodic modulation of the intersite coupling in two-dimensional (2D) nonlinear lattices modifies the eigenvalue spectrum by opening mini-gaps in it. This work aims to build stable localized modes in the new bandgaps. Numerical analysis shows that single-peak and composite two- and four-peak discrete static solitons and breathers emerge as such modes in certain parameter areas inside the mini-gaps of the 2D superlattice induced by the periodic modulation of the intersite coupling along both directions. The single-peak solitons and four-peak discrete solitons are stable in a part of their existence domain, while unstable stationary states (in particular, two-soliton complexes) may readily transform into robust localized breathers.

Photonica 2011: 3rd International School and Conference on Photonics

Photonics is a rapidly growing discipline of physics that investigates properties of light and its interaction with matter and develops devices based on these properties. Due to both the fundamental and applied nature of photonics research, it pervades many branches of modern technology: quantum mechanics, material science, electronics, telecommunications, biology, medicine, material processing, etc. The borders between these subjects are being erased, generating new research areas such as silicon photonics, biophotonics and quantum photonics. Diverse branches of photonics are united in a common effort to further miniaturize photonic devices, integrate them with existing technologies and develop new technologies. The International School and Conference on Photonics?Photonica?is a biennial forum for the education of young scientists, exchanging new knowledge and ideas, and fostering collaboration between scientists working in photonic science and technology. Conference topics cover a broad range of research activities in optical materials, metamaterials and plasmonics, nonlinear optics, lasers, laser spectroscopy, biophotonics, optoelectronics, optocommunications, photonic crystals, holography, quantum optics and related topics in atomic physics. The aim of the organizers is to provide a platform for discussing new developments, concepts and future trends of various disciplines of photonics by bringing together researchers from academia, government and industrial laboratories. The educational element of Photonica?a series of tutorials and keynote talks?enables students and young researchers to better understand the fundamentals and their use on a route to applications, and informs both young and experienced scientists of new directions of research. The introductory lectures that are directly related to the state-of-the-art are followed by presentations and discussions on recent results during oral and vibrant poster presentations. This Topical Issue is dedicated to Photonica 2011 held on 29 August?2 September 2011 in Belgrade, Serbia. The conference was attended by 144 participants from 27 countries who gave 132 oral and poster presentations and 24 lectures. The accompanying papers were peer reviewed and 82 were selected for publication. We take this opportunity to gratefully acknowledge the contribution of the reviewers to the quality of this issue. The papers are grouped in accordance with the conference topics, each section opening with an invited paper. The issue begins with papers dedicated to ultra-cold atomic systems that display coherent behaviour analogous to that of light. These well-controlled atomic systems are indispensible workhorses for experiments in quantum optics, which is the topic of the next section. Holography as a concept, measurement tool and technique for fabrication of periodic photonic structures is placed accordingly between fundamental and applied photonics. It is followed by reports on various photonic devices, their modelling and nonlinear phenomena. The progress in constructing these devices largely depends on artificial (composites, metamaterials) and natural optical materials and their processing. This Topical Issue is an original snapshot of the current research in photonics and by no means an extensive survey of the field. While the making of the former has been a challenging task, the compilation of the latter would be indomitable due to the rapid advances in and diversification of photonics research. In accordance with the aims of the conference itself, we hope that the results reported in this Topical Issue of Physica Scripta will serve to inform and to spark the imagination of scientists and engineers exploring or using the principles and products of photonics.