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Magnetic routing of light-induced waveguides

Author

Listed:
  • Yana Izdebskaya

    (Laser Physics Center, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University)

  • Vladlen Shvedov

    (Laser Physics Center, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University)

  • Gaetano Assanto

    (NooEL—Nonlinear Optics and OptoElectronics Lab, University of Rome ‘Roma Tre’
    Optics Laboratory, Tampere University of Technology)

  • Wieslaw Krolikowski

    (Laser Physics Center, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University
    Science Program, Texas A&M University at Qatar, P.O. Box 23874)

Abstract

Among photofunctional materials that can be employed to control the propagation of light by modifying their properties, soft dielectrics such as nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) stand out for their large all-optical response. Through reorientation, the molecular distribution of NLCs can be modified by the electric field of light, permitting functional operations and supporting self-localized light beams or spatial optical solitons. To date, the generation and routing of such solitons have been limited by the boundary conditions employed to tailor the properties of NLCs in planar cells or capillaries. Here we report on spatial solitons in bulk NLCs with no lateral anchoring, where the application of an external magnetic field effectively controls the direction of propagation and the angular steering of the self-trapped wavepackets. Our results entail a completely new approach to the routing of self-localized beams and light-induced waveguides in three dimensions, without the usual limitations imposed by transverse boundary conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Yana Izdebskaya & Vladlen Shvedov & Gaetano Assanto & Wieslaw Krolikowski, 2017. "Magnetic routing of light-induced waveguides," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-6, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms14452
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14452
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