title: Observation of discrete solitons in optically induced real time waveguide arrays.
abstract: We report the first experimental observation of discrete solitons in an array of optically induced waveguides. The waveguide lattice is induced in real time by illuminating a photorefractive crystal with a pair of interfering plane waves. We demonstrate two types of bright discrete solitons: in-phase self-localized states and the staggered (pi out-of-phase) soliton family. This experiment is the first observation of bright staggered solitons in any physical system. Our scheme paves the way for reconfigurable focusing and defocusing photonic lattices where low-power (mW) discrete solitons can be thoroughly investigated.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.
authors.forename: Jason W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Fleischer
authors.forename: Tal
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carmon
authors.forename: Mordechai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Segev
authors.forename: Nikos K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Efremidis
authors.forename: Demetrios N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Christodoulides