Surface-wave pyroelectric photorefractive solitons

Surface-wave solitons, induced by the pyroelectric effect, are formed at the interface between a photorefractive ferroelectric medium and a linear medium. These optical solitons are trapped in both transverse dimensions and are efficiently attracted to the interface. The asymmetric shape of the nonlinear index change formed under the charge saturation regime is responsible for the surface-wave solitons' formation. Experimental demonstrations are performed in a lithium niobate sample with moderate temperature change. The phenomenon is successfully explained through numerical simulations. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America