Bonn 2000 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help

SYNO: Nichtlineare Optik

SYNO II: HV II

SYNO II.1: Invited Talk

Tuesday, April 4, 2000, 11:40–12:20, HS X

Cavity Solitons and Related Nonlinear Optical Phenomena — •W.J. Firth — Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Strathclyde, J. Anderson Building, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow G 4 ONG, United Kingdom

Among the many interesting spontaneous spatial structures in nonlinear optical systems are localised bright spots in driven optical cavities. These resemble spatial solitons, related to the soliton pulses being developed as ‘bits’ for long-haul communications. Cavity solitons could be natural ‘bits’ for parallel processing of optical information.

I review the underlying nonlinear optics of cavity solitons and some related phenomena. The soliton’s perturbation eigenmodes give information on its stability and response to external forces and noise. I report results from the PIANOS ESPRIT project, aimed at generation and application of cavity solitons in semiconductor micro-resonators.