title: Quantum-noise-initiated symmetry breaking of spatial solitons.
abstract: The spectra of chi(2) spatial solitons are measured close to the soliton-formation threshold and show the presence of sidebands, shifted by 39 THz from the laser line. By comparing with the predictions of a quantum optical field model, solved numerically in the full (3 + 1)-dimensional space, it is claimed that the observed temporal instability of the spatial soliton is seeded by vacuum state fluctuations of the electromagnetic field.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0430, USA.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minardi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tamosauskas
authors.forename: T A B
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Trapani