title: Discrete propagation and spatial solitons in nematic liquid crystals.
abstract: We investigate, for the first time to our knowledge, the discrete propagation of near-infrared light in a voltage-controlled array of channel waveguides in undoped nematic liquid crystals under planar anchoring conditions. This novel geometry enables us to drive the system from one-dimensional bulk diffraction to discrete propagation and, for larger excitations, to discrete spatial solitons, or nematicons. The observed phenomena are adequately described by a scalar model that encompasses the voltage-dependent reorientational response of the material.
authors.affiliation: Nonlinear Optics and Optoelectronics Laboratory, Italian Institute for the Physics of Matter, Università Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale 84, 00146 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fratalocchi
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Assanto
authors.forename: Kasia A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Brzdakiewicz
authors.forename: Mirek A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Karpierz