Dissipative solitons compounds in a fiber laser. Analogy with the states of the matter

We investigate experimentally ordered and disordered pattern formation of solitons in a double-clad fiber laser. We point out an analogy between the different states of matter and the states of a set of dissipative solitons. In particular, we have identified a gas, a supersonic gas flow, a liquid, a polycrystal and a crystal of solitons. The different states are obtained only by adjustment of the intracavity phase plates.