Observation of Discrete 1D Solitons in an Optically Induced Lattice in Rubidium Atomic Vapor

Fuente: arXiv
Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Vulić, Vjekoslav, Šantić, Neven, Buljan, Hrvoje, Aumiler, Damir
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2026
Materias:
Acceso en línea:
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
_version_ 1866917408215662592
author Vulić, Vjekoslav
Šantić, Neven
Buljan, Hrvoje
Aumiler, Damir
author_facet Vulić, Vjekoslav
Šantić, Neven
Buljan, Hrvoje
Aumiler, Damir
contents The manipulation of light in periodic structures is fundamental to the development of discrete photonics and provides a versatile platform for controlling light propagation in integrated and quantum photonic systems. This work reports the experimental observation of discrete one-dimensional (1D) solitons in a photonic lattice, optically induced in warm rubidium vapor. The lattice is generated by the interference of two coupling laser fields intersecting at a small angle, which creates a spatially modulated 1D refractive index. When a probe beam is focused into a single lattice site, discrete diffraction is observed. By increasing the probe intensity, discrete solitons emerge as a result of the balance between discrete diffraction and self-focusing within the nonlinear atomic medium. Experimental results are supported by numerical simulations, in which the refractive index is modeled via optical Bloch equations for a multilevel atomic system driven by the coupling and probe fields in a $Λ$ configuration. These results, combined with the inherent controlability of gain and loss in atomic vapors, suggest that this platform provides a versatile foundation for exploring non-Hermitian nonlinear dynamics and parity-time-symmetric photonic lattices.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_11493
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Observation of Discrete 1D Solitons in an Optically Induced Lattice in Rubidium Atomic Vapor
Vulić, Vjekoslav
Šantić, Neven
Buljan, Hrvoje
Aumiler, Damir
Optics
Pattern Formation and Solitons
Atomic Physics
The manipulation of light in periodic structures is fundamental to the development of discrete photonics and provides a versatile platform for controlling light propagation in integrated and quantum photonic systems. This work reports the experimental observation of discrete one-dimensional (1D) solitons in a photonic lattice, optically induced in warm rubidium vapor. The lattice is generated by the interference of two coupling laser fields intersecting at a small angle, which creates a spatially modulated 1D refractive index. When a probe beam is focused into a single lattice site, discrete diffraction is observed. By increasing the probe intensity, discrete solitons emerge as a result of the balance between discrete diffraction and self-focusing within the nonlinear atomic medium. Experimental results are supported by numerical simulations, in which the refractive index is modeled via optical Bloch equations for a multilevel atomic system driven by the coupling and probe fields in a $Λ$ configuration. These results, combined with the inherent controlability of gain and loss in atomic vapors, suggest that this platform provides a versatile foundation for exploring non-Hermitian nonlinear dynamics and parity-time-symmetric photonic lattices.
title Observation of Discrete 1D Solitons in an Optically Induced Lattice in Rubidium Atomic Vapor
topic Optics
Pattern Formation and Solitons
Atomic Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.11493