title: Coherent interactions of dissipative spatial solitons.
abstract: We report observation of the interaction between two coherent dissipative spatial solitons in a periodically patterned semiconductor optical amplifier with power levels of tens of milliwatts. The interactions are nonlocal and phase dependent and exhibit surprising features, such as soliton birth. The experimental results are in good agreement with the numerical simulations.
authors.affiliation: School of Optics, Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32816, USA. eultanir@mail.ucf.edu
authors.forename: Erdem A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ultanir
authors.forename: George I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Stegeman
authors.forename: Christoph H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Falk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lederer