Nematicons: Spatial Optical Solitons in Nematic Liquid Crystals

Table of Contents

1. Cover
2. Series
3. Title Page
4. Copyright
5. Dedication
6. Preface
7. Acknowledgments
8. Contributors
9. Chapter 1: Nematicons
   1. 1.1 Introduction
   2. 1.2 Models
   3. 1.3 Numerical Simulations
   4. 1.4 Experimental Observations
   5. 1.5 Conclusions
   6. References
10. Chapter 2: Features of Strongly Nonlocal Spatial Solitons
    1. 2.1 Introduction
    2. 2.2 Phenomenological Theory of Strongly Nonlocal Spatial Solitons
    3. 2.3 Nonlocal Spatial Solitons in Nematic Liquid Crystals
    4. 2.4 Conclusion
    5. Appendix 2.A: Proof of the Equivalence of the Snyder–Mitchell Model (Eq. 2.16) and the Strongly Nonlocal Model (Eq. 2.11)
    6. Appendix 2.B: Perturbative Solution for a Single Soliton of the NNLSE (Eq. 2.4) in NLC
    7. References
11. Chapter 3: Theoretical Approaches To Nonlinear Wave Evolution In Higher Dimensions
    1. 3.1 Simple Example of Multiple Scales Analysis
    2. 3.2 Survey of Perturbation Methods for Solitary Waves
    3. 3.3 Linearized Perturbation Theory for Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation
    4. 3.4 Modulation Theory: Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation
    5. 3.5 Radiation Loss
    6. 3.6 Solitary Waves in Nematic Liquid Crystals: Nematicons
    7. 3.7 Radiation Loss for The Nematicon Equations
    8. 3.8 Choice of Trial Function
    9. 3.9 Conclusions
    10. Appendix 3.A: Integrals
    11. Appendix 3.B: Shelf Radius
    12. References
12. Chapter 4: Soliton Families in Strongly Nonlocal Media
    1. 4.1 Introduction
    2. 4.2 Mathematical Models
    3. 4.3 Soliton Families in Strongly Nonlocal Nonlinear Media
    4. 4.4 Conclusions
    5. References
13. Chapter 5: External Control of Nematicon Paths
    1. 5.1 Introduction
    2. 5.2 Basic Equations
    3. 5.3 Nematicon Control with External Light Beams
    4. 5.4 Voltage Control of Nematicon Walk-Off
    5. 5.5 Voltage-Defined Interfaces
    6. 5.6 Conclusions
    7. References
14. Chapter 6: Dynamics of Optical Solitons in Bias-Free Nematic Liquid Crystals
    1. 6.1 Summary
    2. 6.2 Introduction
    3. 6.3 From One to Two Nematicons
    4. 6.4 Counter-Propagating Nematicons
    5. 6.5 Interaction of Nematicons with Curved Surfaces
    6. 6.6 Multimode Nematicon-Induced Waveguides
    7. 6.7 Dipole Azimuthons and Charge-Flipping
    8. 6.8 Conclusions
    9. Acknowledgments
    10. References
15. Chapter 7: Interaction of Nematicons and Nematicon Clusters
    1. 7.1 Introduction
    2. 7.2 Gravitation of Nematicons
    3. 7.3 In-Plane Interaction of Two-Color Nematicons
    4. 7.4 Multidimensional Clusters
    5. 7.5 Vortex Cluster Interactions
    6. 7.6 Conclusions
    7. Appendix: Integrals
    8. References
16. Chapter 8: Nematicons in Light Valves
    1. 8.1 Introduction
    2. 8.2 Reorientational Kerr Effect and Soliton Formation in Nematic Liquid Crystals
    3. 8.3 Liquid Crystal Light Valves
    4. 8.4 Spatial Solitons in Light Valves
    5. 8.5 Soliton Propagation in 3D Anisotropic Media: Model and Experiment
    6. 8.6 Soliton Gating and Switching by External Beams
    7. 8.7 Conclusions and Perspectives
    8. References
17. Chapter 9: Propagation of Light Confined via Thermo-Optical Effect in Nematic Liquid Crystals
    1. 9.1 Introduction
    2. 9.2 First Observation in NLC
    3. 9.3 Characterization and Nonlocality Measurement
    4. 9.4 Thermal Versus Orientational Self-Waveguides
    5. 9.5 Applications
    6. 9.6 Conclusions
    7. References
18. Chapter 10: Discrete Light Propagation in Arrays of Liquid Crystalline Waveguides
    1. 10.1 Introduction
    2. 10.2 Discrete Systems
    3. 10.3 Waveguide Arrays in Nematic Liquid Crystals
    4. 10.4 Discrete Diffraction and Discrete Solitons
    5. 10.5 Optical Multiband Vector Breathers
    6. 10.6 Nonlinear Angular Steering
    7. 10.7 Landau–Zener Tunneling
    8. 10.8 Bloch Oscillations
    9. 10.9 Conclusions
    10. References
19. Chapter 11: Power-Dependent Nematicon Self-Routing
    1. 11.1 Introduction
    2. 11.2 Nematicons: Governing Equations
    3. 11.3 Single-Hump Nematicon Profiles
    4. 11.4 Actual Experiments: Role of Losses
    5. 11.5 Nematicon Self-Steering in Dye-Doped NLC
    6. 11.6 Boundary Effects
    7. 11.7 Nematicon Self-Steering Through Interaction with Linear Inhomogeneities
    8. 11.8 Conclusions
    9. References
20. Chapter 12: Twisted and Chiral Nematicons
    1. 12.1 Introduction
    2. 12.2 Chiral and Twisted Nematics
    3. 12.3 Theoretical Model
    4. 12.4 Experimental Results
    5. 12.5 Discrete Diffraction
    6. 12.6 Conclusions
    7. References
21. Chapter 13: Time Dependence of Spatial Solitons in Nematic Liquid Crystals
    1. 13.1 Introduction
    2. 13.2 Temporal Behavior of Different Nonlinearities and Governing Equations
    3. 13.3 Formation of Reorientational Solitons
    4. 13.4 Conclusions
    5. References
22. Chapter 14: Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Light Bullets in Nematic Liquid Crystals
    1. 14.1 Introduction
    2. 14.2 Optical Propagation Under Multiple Nonlinear Contributions
    3. 14.3 Accessible Light Bullets
    4. 14.4 Temporal Modulation Instability in Nematicons
    5. 14.5 Soliton-Enhanced Frequency Conversion
    6. 14.6 Conclusions
    7. References
23. Chapter 15: Vortices in Nematic Liquid Crystals
    1. 15.1 Introduction
    2. 15.2 Stabilization of Vortices in Nonlocal, Nonlinear Media
    3. 15.3 Vortex in a Bounded Cell
    4. 15.4 Stabilization of Vortices by Vortex–Beam Interaction
    5. 15.5 Azimuthally Dependent Vortices
    6. 15.6 Conclusions
    7. References
24. Chapter 16: Dispersive Shock Waves in Reorientational and Other Optical Media
    1. 16.1 Introduction
    2. 16.2 Governing Equations and Modulational Instability
    3. 16.3 Existing Experimental and Numerical Results
    4. 16.4 Analytical Solutions for Defocusing Equations
    5. 16.5 Analytical Solutions for Focusing Equations
    6. 16.6 Conclusions
    7. References
25. index
26. bseries