University of Toronto
Physics Department
Quantum Optics and Condensed Matter

Abstract

In recent experiments we have demonstrated for the first time the generation and propagation of soliton pulses in Bragg gratings. These Bragg grating solitons propagate along the length of the grating at velocities substantially less than the speed of light and gain their stability through the balancing between the strong dispersive effects of the grating and the third order nonlinear effects. In our experiments we observed these effects at frequencies "outside" the photonic bandgap where the transmission is high. Theorists have predicted for many years the existence of gap solitons, which propagate in spite of having a frequency content inside the photonic bandgap where the transmission is small; gap solitons are considered to be a subclass of a general class of grating solitons.

In this talk I will first review much of the theoretical work in the area of nonlinear gratings. This will be followed by a discussion of the experimental results highlighting the soliton effects. Finally I will discuss current efforts at Bell Laboratories to demonstrate the elusive gap soliton for the first time.

Contact: Prof. J.E. Sipe (416-978-4517)