title: Observation of dipole-mode vector solitons
abstract: We report on the first experimental observation of a novel type of optical vector soliton, a dipole-mode soliton, recently predicted theoretically. We show that these vector solitons can be generated in a photorefractive medium employing two different processes: a phase imprinting, and a symmetry-breaking instability of a vortex-mode vector soliton. The experimental results display remarkable agreement with the theory, and confirm the robust nature of these radially asymmetric two-component solitary waves.
authors.affiliation: Laser Physics Centre, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia.
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Krolikowski
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ostrovskaya
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weilnau
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geisser
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kivshar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Denz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Luther-Davies