T. H. Zhang

(2 + 1)D surface solitons in virtue of the cooperation of nonlocal and local nonlinearities

We introduce a type of (2+1)D surface soliton in virtue of the cooperation of nonlocal and local nonlinearities. Furthermore, taking advantage of diffusion and drift nonlinearity this type of surface soliton is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally in a storintium barium nitrate crystal. The dynamics behavior of the excitation and propagation of this type of surface soliton are studied using the beam-propagation method and the nonlinear equation of light rays.

Surface dark screening solitons

We report on the existence of surface dark screening solitons at the interface between a dielectric medium (air) and a self-defocusing nonlinear material, taking advantage of photorefractive diffusion and drift nonlinearities. It is very interesting that a surface dark soliton is just like half of a dark soliton in bulk, but not a whole dark soliton propagating along surface. The excitation, propagation, and stability of this type of soliton are studied by using the beam-propagation method. Another interesting thing is that this type of dark soliton can be excited by a planar light beam without a necessary dark notch.

Giant enhancement of surface second-harmonic generation using photorefractive surface waves with diffusion and drift nonlinearities

Giant enhancement of second-harmonic generation (SHG) with 83.4%/W coversion efficiency is obtained, taking advantage of photorefractive surface waves with diffusion and drift nonlinearity. In this method, the self-bending induced by diffusion nonlinearity can be utilized at the surface and can solve the phase-mismatch problem in bulk due to beam self-bending. With drift nonlinearity, an applied external electric filed and background illumination can further constringe surface waves to the surface and consequently enhance SHG, which provides the possibility and flexibility of control.

Modes of photorefractive surface waves

We consider the modes of surface waves with the diffusion mechanism by the band transport model of the photorefractive effect and the nonlinear equation for the first time. We demonstrate the relationship between the modes of surface waves and the angles of incidence. The conditions for the realization of surface modes at the interface between photorefractive crystal and a metal, a linear dielectric with a lower refractive index, or another photorefractive crystal are discussed.

Tunable long-range surface plasmon polaritons taking advantage of nonlinear surface waves

We present an improved Kretschmann configuration with nonlinear dielectric as substrate, in which long-range surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) may appear, the modes and propagation lengths are tunable. We numerically simulated the solutions of SPP modes and their propagations. The results show that the SPP propagation length can range from tens of micrometers to tens of centimeters or even longer. The configuration proposed in this letter makes a breakthrough of the intrinsic restriction in conventional Kretschmann configuration and there exist the continuous steady SPP modes also in the range of k0e31/2>β>k0e11/2. It allows for optimization of SPP properties and makes SPP application more flexible in practices.We present an improved Kretschmann configuration with nonlinear dielectric as substrate, in which long-range surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) may appear, the modes and propagation lengths are tunable. We numerically simulated the solutions of SPP modes and their propagations. The results show that the SPP propagation length can range from tens of micrometers to tens of centimeters or even longer. The configuration proposed in this letter makes a breakthrough of the intrinsic restriction in conventional Kretschmann configuration and there exist the continuous steady SPP modes also in the range of k0e31/2>β>k0e11/2. It allows for optimization of SPP properties and makes SPP application more flexible in practices.

Observation of surface dark photovoltaic solitons

Surface dark solitons in photovoltaic nonlinear media are reported. Taking advantage of diffusion and photovoltaic nonlinearities we demonstrated the surface dark solitons and their behaviors near surface theoretically and experimentally in LiNbO₃ crystal. It is very interesting that surface dark soliton is just half of dark soliton in bulk. Another interesting thing is that transverse modulation instability can be perfectly suppressed by surface dark soliton in virtue of surface. In addition, surface waveguides were written successfully utilizing surface dark soliton.

Dark surface waves in self-focusing media with diffusion and photovoltaic nonlinearities

Dark surface waves with photorefractive diffusion and photovoltaic nonlinearities are predicted for the first time. We find it is extraordinary that this type of dark surface waves should be in self-focusing media, which is very different from the surface dark solitons or other nonlinear dark surface waves. An oscillator model is proposed by which the above extraordinary phenomenon is demonstrated. In this model an equivalent force function is established, whose form determines the varieties of surface waves (bright surface waves, dark surface waves or others).

Photorefractive surface waves at the interface of Sr0.6Ba0.4NbO3 and air with diffusion mechanism

Photorefractive surface waves on the surface of Sr0.6Ba0.4NbO3 with a diffusion mechanism of nonlinearity have been observed. The formation time of the photorefractive surface waves is related to the intensity of the incident beam and the background illumination. The formation time of the photorefractive surface waves is about 40 min with a beam intensity of 3 mW, 25 min with 10 mW, and 30 s with 10 mW when an additional background illumination is applied. The experimental results showed that an appropriate background illumination will shorten the photorefractive response time.

Apodized waveguide arrays induced by photorefractive nonlinear surface waves

A new type of nonlinear waveguides, photorefractive surface optical waveguides is suggested, which can be induced by photorefractive surface waves on the boundary of photorefractive crystal. The disturbed refractive index distribution of such waveguides behaves as a periodic lattice with apodized envelope, thus we call them photorefractive surface apodized waveguide arrays. Moreover, the dispersion relation and corresponding modes are analyzed. It is very interesting that the dispersion curves of index-guided modes and Bragg-guided modes couple and intertwine with each other, and anti-crossings instead of crossings between them hence generate some mini-gaps. Moreover there exists a type of extraordinary modes constituted by the splice of index-guided modes and Bragg-guided modes.

Observation of photorefractive surface waves in self-defocusing LiNbO3:Fe crystal.

Photorefractive (PR) surface waves (SWs) in self-defocusing LiNbO(3):Fe are studied theoretically and experimentally. We demonstrate that SWs can also be formed in a self-defocusing nonlinear medium and that the nonlocal nonlinearity (such as the diffusion component of PR nonlinearity in this Letter) is the essential cause. The forming process of PR SWs with a self-deflection course of light beams has been observed. The results indicate the possibility of concentrating light energy in self-defocusing media, taking advantage of SWs.