title: Soliton-based Y-branch in photorefractive crystals induced through dispersion-shifted optical fiber.
abstract: We experimentally demonstrate for what is believed to be the first time that a dispersion-shifted fiber can be used to electro-optically induce a soliton Y-branch structure in a photorefractive centrosymmetric paraelectric crystal (potassium lithium tantalate niobate). The application of a nonstationary external bias field enables us to stabilize the spatially partially coherent behavior of the optical beam at the fiber output. Furthermore, we show the switching capabilities of this soliton-based device in the optical communication field guiding a probe beam at a nonphotorefractive wavelength (1557 nm).
authors.affiliation: Fondazione Ugo Bordoni, Via B. Castiglione 59, Rome 00142, Italy. gtosi@fub.it
authors.forename: Giorgio Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Tosi-Beleffi
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Curti
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boschi
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: Aharon J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Agranat