Plasmon-soliton

Formation of a novel hybrid-vector spatial plasmon-soliton in a Kerr slab embedded between metal plates is predicted and analyzed with a modified nonlinear Schrodinger equation encompassing hybrid-vector field characteristics. Assisted by the transverse plasmonic effect, the self-trapping dimension of the plasmon-soliton was substantially compressed (compared with the dielectrically cladded slab case) when reducing the slab width. The practical limitation of the plasmon-soliton size reduction is determined by available nonlinear materials and metal loss. For the extreme reported values of nonlinear index change, we predict a soliton with a cross section of 300 nm x 30 mn (average dimension of 100 nm). (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.