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Silicon Carbide based electronics remains the most suitable choice to replace silicon in power electronics. Especially in avionics SiC devices represent a reliable solution for reducing weight and size of aircraft power switching technology. However, some issues need to be solved to unleash the full potential of this kind of electronics. The most important challenge is related to the quality of the dielectric/SiC interface and to the techniques implemented to fabricate this interface. In this work, we investigate the morphological and electrical properties of low temperature dielectric films deposited on SiC substrate by using ECR-PECVD. To this end, we fabricated capacitors with silicon dioxide layer, deposited at low temperature, studying their performance with and without surface pretreatments and considering post-annealing effects at different temperatures and times.

In this work we analyze the behavior of pressure sensors based on membranes of chemically very inert materials and robust to atmospheric agents with non-neutral pH. The selected material for cheapness and chemical stability for the manufacture of low-cost pressure sensors is Silicon Carbide, even if a special section is dedicated to diamond membranes pressure sensors because of its unique chemical inertness. Considering also the electromagnetic noise as an aggressive element of the measurement environment, the low-cost reproduction via sensor - optical fiber coupling of a low-finesse Fabry-Perot interferometer was chosen as the reading setup. SiC membranes are realized by nanosecond LASER processing while those in diamond are made by CVD deposition and microelectronic etching techniques.

This erratum amends some errors in Opt. Lett.43, 2296 (2018)OPLEDP0146-959210.1364/OL.43.002296.

Thin polycrystalline diamond films chemically vapor deposited on thinned silicon substrates were used as membranes for pressure sensor fabrication by means of selective chemical etching of silicon. The sensing element is based on a simple low-finesse Fabry&ndash, P&eacute, rot (FP) interferometer. The FP cavity is defined by the end-face of a single mode fiber and the diamond diaphragm surface. Hence, pressure is evaluated by measuring the cavity length by an optoelectronic system coupled to the single mode fiber. Exploiting the excellent properties of Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) diamond, in terms of high hardness, low thermal expansion, and ultra-high thermal conductivity, the realized sensors have been characterized up to 16.5 MPa at room temperature. Preliminary characterizations demonstrate the feasibility of such diamond-on-Si membrane structure for pressure transduction. The proposed sensing system represents a valid alternative to conventional solutions, overcoming the drawback related to electromagnetic interference on the acquired weak signals generated by standard piezoelectric sensors.

Using modulation theory, we develop a simple ((2+1) dimensional) model to describe the synergy between the thermo-optical and reorientational responses of nematic liquid crystals to light beams in order to describe the routing of spatial optical solitary waves— nematicons— in such a uniaxial environment. Introducing several approximations based on the nonlocal physics of the material, we are able to predict the trajectories of nematicons and their angular steering with temperature, accounting for the energy exchange between the input beam and the medium through one photon absorption. The theoretical results are then compared with experimental data from previous studies, showing excellent agreement.

Employing several nematic liquid crystal mixtures, we investigate how the thermo-optic response of nonlinear birefringent soft-matter affects the propagation of light beams and the features of self-induced waveguides. We address the formation of optical spatial solitons and the control of their trajectories versus temperature, comparing the measurements with the expectations based on a simplified model, showing an excellent agreement. Moreover, in a guest&ndash, host mixture with an absorbing dye dopant, we study the competition between reorientational and thermal nonlinearities, demonstrating that the two processes can be adjusted independently in order to tune the soliton properties, i.e., trajectory and confinement strength. Our results are an important contribution to better comprehend the role played by material properties on linear and nonlinear beam propagation, as well as their exploitation for signal processing and addressing.

Using an external low-frequency electric field applied to dye-doped nematic liquid crystals, we demonstrate that random lasing obtained by optical pumping can be steered in angular direction by routing an all-optical waveguide able to collect the emitted light. By varying the applied voltage from 0 to 2 V, we reduce the walk-off and sweep the random laser guided beam over 7 degrees. Full Text: PDF References V. S. Letokhov, "Generation of light by a scattering medium with negative resonance absorption," Sov. Phys. JETP 26 (4), 835 (1968). DirectLink H. Cao, J. Y. Xu, D. Z. Zhang, S.-H. Chang, S. T. Ho, E. W. Seelig, X. Liu, and R. P. H. Chang, "Spatial Confinement of Laser Light in Active Random Media," Phys. Rev. Lett. 84 (24), 5584 (2000). CrossRef D. S. Wiersma, "The physics and applications of random lasers," Nature Phys. 4 (5) 359-367 (2008). CrossRef D. Wiersma and S. Cavalieri, "A temperature-tunable random laser," Nature 414, 708-709 (2001). CrossRef G. Strangi, S. Ferjani, V. Barna, A. De Luca, N. Scaramuzza, C. Versace, C. Umeton, and R. Bartolino, "Random lasing and weak localization of light in dye-doped nematic liquid crystals," Opt. Express 14 (17), 7737 (2006). CrossRef G. Strangi, S. Ferjani, V. Barna, A. De Luca, C. Versace, N. Scaramuzza, and R. Bartolino, "Random lasing in dye doped nematic liquid crystals: the role of confinement geometry," SPIE 6587, 65870P (2007) doi: 10.1117/12.722887 CrossRef S. Ferjani, V. Barna, A. De Luca, C. Versace, and G. Strangi, "Random lasing in freely suspended dye-doped nematic liquid crystals," Opt. Lett. 33(6), 557-559 (2008). CrossRef S. Ferjani, L-V. Sorriso, V. Barna, A. De Luca, R. De Marco, and G. Strangi, "Statistical analysis of random lasing emission properties in nematic liquid crystals," Phys. Rev. E 78 (1) 011707 (2008). CrossRef H. Bian, F. Yao, H. Liu, F. Huang, Y. Pei, C. Hou, and X. Sun, "Optically controlled random lasing based on photothermal effect in dye-doped nematic liquid crystals," Liq. Cryst. 41 (10), 1436-1441 (2014) CrossRef C. R. Lee, S. H. Lin, C. H. Guo, S. H. Chang, T. S. Mo, and S. C. Chu, "All-optically controllable random laser based on a dye-doped polymer-dispersed liquid crystal with nano-sized droplets," Opt. Express 18 (3), 2406-2412 (2010) CrossRef S. Perumbilavil, A. Piccardi, O. Buchnev, M. Kauranen, G. Strangi, and G. Assanto, "Soliton-assisted random lasing in optically-pumped liquid crystals," Appl. Phys. Lett. 109(16), 161105 (2016); ibid. 110(1), 1019902 (2017). CrossRef S. Perumbilavil, A. Piccardi, O. Buchnev, M. Kauranen, G. Strangi, and G. Assanto, "All-optical guided-wave random laser in nematic liquid crystals", Opt. Express 25 (5), 4672-4679 (2017). CrossRef S. Perumbilavil, A. Piccardi, R. Barboza, O. Buchnev, M. Kauranen, G. Strangi, and G. Assanto, "Beaming random laser with soliton control," Nature Comm., in press (2018) CrossRef M. Peccianti, C. Conti, G. Assanto, A. De Luca and C. Umeton, "Routing of Anisotropic Spatial Solitons and Modulational Instability in liquid crystals," Nature 432, 733-737 (2004). CrossRef J. Beeckman, K. Neyts and M. Haeltermann, "Patterned electrode steering of nematicons," J. Opt. A - Pure Appl. Opt. 8 (2), 214-220 (2006). CrossRef A. Piccardi, M. Peccianti, G. Assanto, A. Dyadyusha and M. Kaczmarek, "Voltage-driven in-plane steering of nematicons," Appl. Phys. Lett. 94, 091106 (2009). CrossRef R. Barboza, A. Alberucci, and G. Assanto, "Large electro-optic beam steering with Nematicons", Opt. Lett. 36 (14), 2611–2613 (2011). CrossRef A. Piccardi, A. Alberucci, R. Barboza, O. Buchnev, M. Kaczmarek, and G. Assanto, "In-plane steering of nematicon waveguides across an electrically adjusted interface", Appl. Phys. Lett. 100 (25), 251107 (2012). CrossRef Y. V. Izdebskaya, "Routing of spatial solitons by interaction with rod microelectrodes," Opt. Lett. 39(6), 1681-1684 (2014). CrossRef A. Pasquazi, A. Alberucci, M. Peccianti, and G. Assanto, "Signal processing by opto-optical interactions between self-localized and free propagating beams in liquid crystals," Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 261104 (2005). CrossRef S. V. Serak, N. V. Tabiryan, M. Peccianti and G. Assanto, "Spatial Soliton All-Optical Logic Gates", IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 18 (12), 1287-1289 (2006). CrossRef M. Peccianti, C. Conti, G. Assanto, A. De Luca and C. Umeton, "All Optical Switching and Logic Gating with Spatial Solitons in Liquid Crystals," Appl. Phys. Lett. 81(18), 3335-3337 (2002). CrossRef A. Fratalocchi, A. Piccardi, M. Peccianti and G. Assanto, "Nonlinearly controlled angular momentum of soliton clusters," Opt. Lett. 32(11), 1447-1449 (2007). CrossRef Y. Izdebskaya, V. Shvedov, G. Assanto, and W. Krolikowski, Nat. Comm. 8, 14452 (2017). CrossRef M. Peccianti and G. Assanto, "Nematicons," Phys. Rep. 516, 147-208 (2012). CrossRef Y. Izdebskaya, A. Desyatnikov, G. Assanto and Y. Kivshar, "Deflection of nematicons through interaction with dielectric particles," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 30(6), 1432-1437 (2013). CrossRef U. Laudyn, M. Kwasny, F. Sala, M. Karpierz, N. F. Smyth, and G. Assanto,"Curved solitons subject to transverse acceleration in reorientational soft matter," Sci. Rep. 7, 12385 (2017). CrossRef A. Alberucci, A. Piccardi, M. Peccianti, M. Kaczmarek and G. Assanto, "Propagation of spatial optical solitons in a dielectric with adjustable nonlinearity", Phys. Rev. A 82, 023806 (2010). CrossRef

Combining a reorientational spatial optical soliton with optical gain and scattering in dye-doped liquid crystals, we demonstrate that a random laser can emit a smooth laser beam in a well-defined direction.

We demonstrate the electro-optic control of self-confined beams via frequency modulation in dual-frequency nematic liquid crystals. Proper design of comb electrodes in a planar cell allows the maximization of the overall steering angle when only walk-off variations are used. A span angle as large as two times the maximum walk-off angle is achieved.

Spatial solitons can affect and enhance random lasing in optically-pumped dye-doped nematic liquid crystals. Upon launching two collinear beams in the sample, the first to pump the fluorescent guest molecules and the second to induce a reorientational soliton, strikingly the second beam not only guides the emitted photons in the soliton waveguide, but also enhances the lasing efficiency and modulates its spectral width. By altering the scattering paths of the emitted photons, the soliton also contributes to the selection of the lasing modes, as further confirmed by the observed kinks in the input/output characteristics. These experimental results demonstrate that random lasing can be efficiently controlled by a light beam which does not interact with the gain molecules, opening a route towards light-controlled random lasers. publishedVersion

Light-controlling-light is one of the most advanced paradigms in optical signal processing, including light-induced waveguides as well as all-optical switching and routing. Other fundamental aspects of all-optical processing are optical memories and sequential elements, which require responses depending on the evolution history of the system, such as the hysteresis stemming from optical multistability. Hereby, we report on optical bistability and hysteresis in cavityless geometries and in the presence of self-localized beams, i.e., spatial optical solitons, exploiting the nonlocal reorientational nonlinearity of nematic liquid crystals (NLC). When the optic axis of NLC is initially orthogonal to the applied electric field, the molecular dipoles start to rotate above a threshold named after the Fréedericksz transition, the latter being usually of the second order. Here, we show that such transition become of the first order via the intrinsic feedback provided by self-focusing, in turn leading to the appearance of a hysteresis loop between diffracting and self-confined beams. We report on hysteresis of the beam size versus input power, as well as hysteresis versus applied voltage at a fixed beam power. Our findings introduce a novel kind of cavity-less optical bistability with propagating light beams and disclose a novel approach to information storage based on light self-localization.

Thanks to their unique properties, nematic liquid crystals feature a variety of mechanisms for light-matter interactions. For continuous-wave optical excitations, the two dominant contributions stem from reorientational and thermal nonlinearities. We thoroughly analyze the competing roles of these two nonlinear responses with reference to self-focusing/defocusing and, eventually, the formation of nonlinear diffraction-free wavepackets, the so-called spatial optical solitons. To this extent we refer to dye-doped nematic liquid crystals in planar cells and continuous-wave beams at two distinct wavelengths in order to adjust the relative weights of the two responses. The theoretical analysis is complemented by numerical simulations in the highly nonlocal approximation and compared to experimental results., 13 pages, 12 figures, submitted to PRE

We investigate light self-confinement in nematic liquid crystals with homogeneous planar distribution of the molecular director. Using comb-patterned electrodes we are able to vary the initial orientation, exploiting different degrees of nonlinearity by the electro-optic effect. We experimentally demonstrate tuning of the nonlinearity by studying both single nematicon propagation and planar interactions between two nematicons.

We report on nematicon self-steering in two settings: pure nematic liquid crystals, where the steering stems directly from optical reorientation, and dye-doped liquid crystals, where strong confinement owing to a guest-host interaction allows the appearance of a transverse force acting on the beam.

We investigate the propagation of nematicons in various nematic liquid crystals. Following some general considerations on the role of material parameters in light self-trapping via a reorientational nonlinear response, we discuss numerical results on light self-action and transverse localization. Finally, we validate our findings with experimental measurements in three liquid crystalline mixtures featuring different amounts of birefringence.

Dye-doped nematic liquid crystals support random lasing under optical pumping, as well as reorientational optical spatial solitons acting as all-optical waveguides. By synergistically combining these two responses in a collinear pump-soliton geometry, the resulting soliton-enhanced random laser exhibits higher conversion efficiency and better directional properties. After a short account on random lasers and solitons in nematic liquid crystals–nematicons–we describe our experimental results on nematicon-molded random lasers.

We demonstrate thermo-optic control on the propagation of optical spatial solitons in nematic liquid crystals. By varying the sample temperature, both linear and nonlinear optical properties of the reorientational material are modulated by acting on the refractive indices, the birefringence, and the elastic response. As a result, both the trajectory and transverse confinement of spatial solitons can be adjusted, demonstrating an effective means to tune and readdress self-induced optical waveguides.

We show that reorientational nematic liquid crystals are an ideal workbench for the investigation of non-perturbative nonlinear optical effects and report light self-steering, power-controlled negative refraction and spontaneous symmetry breaking.

We demonstrate a guided-wave random laser configuration by exploiting the coexistence of optical gain and light self-localization in a reorientational nonlinear medium. A spatial soliton launched by a near-infrared beam in dye-doped nematic liquid crystals enhances and confines stimulated emission of visible light in the optically-pumped gain-medium, yielding random lasing with enhanced features.See also erratum at:Appl. Phys. Lett. 110, 019902 (2017); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4973864

We investigate the role of competing nonlinear responses in the formation and propagation of bright spatial solitons. We use nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) exhibiting both thermo-optic and reorientational nonlinearities with continuous-wave beams. In a suitably prepared dye-doped sample and dual beam collinear geometry, thermal heating in the visible affects reorientational self-focusing in the near infrared, altering light propagation and self-trapping.

Spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) occurs when noise triggers an initially symmetric system to evolve toward one of its nonsymmetric states. Topological and optical SSB involve material reconfiguration/transition and light propagation/distribution in time or space, respectively. In anisotropic optical media, light beam propagation and distribution of the optic axis can be linked, thereby connecting topological and optical SSB. Using nonlinear soft matter, namely uniaxial liquid crystals, we report on simultaneous topological and optical SSB, showing that spatial solitons enhance the noise-driven transition of the medium from a symmetric to an asymmetric configuration, while acquiring a power-dependent transverse velocity in either of two specular directions with respect to the initial wavevector. Solitons enhance SSB by further distorting the optic axis distribution through nonlinear reorientation, resulting in power-tunable walk-off as well as hysteresis in beam refraction versus angle of incidence.

We demonstrate that light refraction at a straight interface between an isotropic dielectric and a nematic liquid crystal can change from positive to negative depending on power. The phenomenon relies on the reorientational response and the all-optical rotation of the optic axis, causing in turn variations in walk-off and beam self-steering.

Refraction at a dielectric interface can take an anomalous character in anisotropic crystals, when light is negatively refracted with incident and refracted beams emerging on the same side of the interface normal. In soft matter subject to reorientation, such as nematic liquid crystals, the nonlinear interaction with light allows tuning of the optical properties. We demonstrate that in such material a beam of light can experience either positive or negative refraction depending on input power, as it can alter the spatial distribution of the optic axis and, in turn, the direction of the energy flow when traveling across an interface. Moreover, the nonlinear optical response yields beam self-focusing and spatial localization into a self-confined solitary wave through the formation of a graded-index waveguide, linking the refractive transition to power-driven readdressing of copolarized guided-wave signals, with a number of output ports not limited by diffraction.

We investigate optical bistability with light beams propagating in reorientational nematic liquid crystals. In a given interval of input powers, light beams can propagate in either diffracting or soliton states, depending on the “history” of the system. We use biased planar samples exhibiting an abrupt self-focusing response with threshold.

We theoretically investigate light self-trapping in nonlinear dielectrics with a reorientational response subject to threshold, specifically nematic liquid crystals. Beyond a finite excitation, two solitary waves exist for any given power, with an hysteretic dynamics due to feedback between beam size, self-focusing and the nonlinear threshold. Soliton stability is discussed on the basis of the system free energy.

We investigated bistability with light beams in reorientational nematic liquid crystals. For a range of input powers, beams can propagate as either diffracting or self-trapped, the latter corresponding to spatial solitons. The first-order transition in samples exhibiting abrupt self-focusing with a threshold is in agreement with a simple model.

Liquid crystals in the nematic phase exhibit substantial reorientation when the molecules are driven by electric fields of any frequencies. Exploiting such a response at optical frequencies, self-focusing supports transverse localization of light and the propagation of self-confined beams and waveguides, namely “nematicons”. Nematicons can guide other light signals and interact with inhomogeneities and other beams. Moreover, they can be effectively deviated by using the electro-optic response of the medium, leading to several strategies for voltage-controlled reconfiguration of light-induced guided-wave circuits and signal readdressing. Hereby, we outline the main features of nematicons and review the outstanding progress achieved in the last twelve years on beam self-trapping and electro-optic readdressing.

The great interest arisen in the past decades in optical spatial solitons, i.e. self-confined waves supported by the balance between diffraction and nonlinear self-focusing, stems from their character of light-induced waveguides, thus allowing versatile and reconfigurable schemes for optical signal handling and processing [1]. Nematic Liquid Crystals (NLC) are excellent materials for the generation, propagation and the control of spatial solitons, also known as Nematicons [2]: NLC exhibit large birefringence and transparency, coupled with a high reorientational nonlinearity owing to (mean) molecular rotation induced by quasi-static and/or optical frequency electric fields. In addition, the high nonlocal character of their response stabilizes two-dimensional selfconfinement of beams into solitons [3,4]. Hereby we illustrate planar NLC cell configurations whereby nematicons can be electrically routed by propagating in a non-uniform dielectric with transverse and longitudinal variations of the refractive index and/or the orientation of the optic axis, i.e. by undergoing voltage-driven modulation of linear and nonlinear properties. The numerical models and numerical results are in excellent agreement with the experimental data.

We investigate, both theoretically and experimentally, spatial soliton interaction with dielectric interfaces in a strongly anisotropic medium with non-locality, such as nematic liquid crystals. We throw light on the role of refractive index gradients as well as optic axis variations in both voltage- and self-driven angular steering of non-local solitons. We specifically address and then employ in experiments a suitably designed electrode geometry in a liquid crystalline cell in order to define and tune a graded dielectric interface by exploiting the electro-optic response of the material through the in-plane reorientation of the optic axis in two distinct regions. We study both refraction and total internal reflection as well as voltage controlled steering of spatial solitons.

We investigate nonlinear self-focusing and nematicon generation in low birefringencenematic liquid crystals (NLCs), where n=0.04. Nematicons are obtained for larger optical powers but they are more than in NLCs with standard birefringence, of the order of n=0.2 Moreover, in low-birefringent NLCs, polarization components exchange energy in a nonlinear regime. Such behaviour is not observed in typical NLCs, where ordinary and extraordinary waves tend to propagate independently due to large walk off.The results of our experimental rest are also compared with numerical simulations, using a fully vectorial BPM. Calculations and experimental results are in good qualitative and quantitative agreement. Full Text: PDF References G. Assanto and M. A. Karpierz, "Nematicons: self-localised beams in nematic liquid crystals", Liq. Cryst. 36, 1161 (2009). CrossRef M. Peccianti and G. Assanto, "Nematicons", Phys. Rep. 516, 147(2012). CrossRef M. Peccianti, G. Assanto, A. De Luca, C. Umeton and I. C. Khoo, "Electrically assisted self-confinement and waveguiding in planar nematic liquid crystal cells", Appl. Phys. Lett. 77, 7 (2000). CrossRef M. A. Karpierz, M. Sierakowski, M. Swillo and T. Wolinski, "Self Focusing in Liquid Crystalline Waveguides", Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 320, 157 (1998). CrossRef U. A. Laudyn, M. Kwasny, M. A. Karpierz, "Nematicons in chiral nematic liquid crystals", Appl. Phys. Lett. 94, 091110 (2009). CrossRef U. A. Laudyn, M. Kwasny, K. Jaworowicz, K. A. Rutkowska, M. A. Karpierz and G. Assanto, "Properties of spatial solitons in chiral nematic liquid crystal cells", Photon. Lett. Poland 1, 7 (2009). CrossRef I. C. Khoo, "Liquid Crystals, Second Edition", Wiley & Sons, New Jersey (2007). CrossRef A. Piccardi, A. Alberucci, G. Assanto, "Soliton self-deflection via power-dependent walk-off", Appl. Phys. Lett.96, 061105 (2010). CrossRef F. A. Sala and M. A. Karpierz, "Modeling of molecular reorientation and beam propagation in chiral and non-chiral nematic liquid crystals", Opt. Express 20, 13923 (2012). CrossRef A. Piccardi, M. Trotta, M. Kwasny, A. Alberucci, R. Asquini, M. Karpierz, A. D'Alessandro and G. Assanto, "Trends and trade-offs in nematicon propagation", Appl. Phys. B 104, 805 (2011). CrossRef R. Dąbrowski, J. Dziaduszek and T. Szczucinski, "Mesomorphic Characteristics of Some New Homologous Series with the Isothiocyanato Terminal Group", Mol. Cyst. Liq. Cryst. 124, 241 (1985). CrossRef

We study the angular steering of spatial solitons in nematic liquid crystals, i.e. nematicons, exploiting their electro-optic response. Approaches to electro-optic steering include acting on the optic axis and walk-off, propagating the soliton through a voltage-adjusted refractive interface or getting it totally internally reflected. Using comb electrodes in a planar cell, maximum angular deflections of 70° are expected with the standard nematic liquid crystal mixture E7.

We investigate the excitation and propagation of self-confined beams and the electric steering of soliton-based optical waveguides in nematic liquid crystalline planar cells. Controlled addressing of a signal is achieved in space by exploiting the electro-optic response of the uniaxial material, employing either uniform or patterned electrodes to alter either the Poynting vector or the wavevector, respectively.

We demonstrate the generation and propagation of dark spatial solitons in dye-doped nematic liquid crystals, exploiting a defocusing nonlinearity stemming from a reduced order parameter. Good agreement is obtained between the experimental measurements and a simplified model. Moreover, a probe beam is used to confirm the guiding properties of the soliton.

We study the interaction of a spatial soliton waveguide with a voltage defined and electrically tuned interface in nematic liquid crystals, whereby the optic axis is reoriented through the use of patterned electrodes. We investigate refraction and total internal reflection of nematicon wavepackets, disclosing the role of anisotropy and obtaining a remarkable in-plane steering as large as 55°.

Nematicons, i.e., optical spatial solitons in nematic liquid crystals (NLC), have been attracting a great deal of attention due to their unique properties such as, for example, excitability at powers of a few hundred µW and the possibility to be electrically and/or optically (by other light beams) bent.[1] In this work we investigate, both experimentally and theoretically, the nematicon behavior for different degrees of nonlinearity, discussing how the latter affects the beam width (self-focusing) and trajectory (self-steering). Having defined the angle between the molecular director n (i.e., the local optic axis) and the beam wavevector k = n 0 k 0 z (k 0 is the vacuum wavenumber, n 0 the linear refractive index), the propagation of the extraordinary wave in the plane yz in a homogeneous NLC cell of thickness L across x is ruled by the equivalent 2D model [2,3] equation equation where Φ is the beam magnetic field and ψ is the all-optical perturbation on θ, with θ 0 being the unperturbed θ, i.e., θ 0 = Φ (F = 0). In Eqs. (1–2), D y is the diffraction coefficient along y, δ(b) the walk-off of the soliton, γ = [e 0 /(4K)](n ∥ 2 − n ⊥ 2)[Z 0 /(n 0 cosδ)]2, and Δn e 2 is the nonlinear change in the extraordinary refractive index n e . Eq. (2) is a reorientational equation which allows to compute the dielectric properties of the medium (δ and n e ) once it is known the torque exerted by light on the NLC molecules, whereas (1) determines the beam profile once the n-distribution is known. It is clear from Eq. (2) that the nonlinear response, determined by the optical torque, depends on the initial angle θ 0 : hence, by changing θ 0 it is possible to easily modify the nonlinear response of the sample, the latter feasible via an applied bias in a planar cell with interdigitated comb-like electrodes. [3] In the limit ψ θ ≪ 0 , using Eqs. (1–2) it is possible to define two scalar parameters to investigate self-focusing (ruled by Δn e 2) and self-steering (determined by δ) versus θ 0 : a nonlocal Kerr coefficient n 2 , given by n 2 (θ 0 ) = 2γsin[2(θ 0 −δ)]n e 2(θ 0 ) tanδ, and equation, proportional to the sensitivity of δ to the light intensity (Fig. 1), respectively. Numerical simulations of Eqs. (1–2) via BPM confirm the soliton behavior versus θ 0 (Fig. 1). Figure 1 also shows the corresponding experimental results, with an excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions.

We report on power-dependent self-transverse acceleration of optical spatial solitons in two settings: pure nematic liquid crystals, where the self-steering is a consequence of all-optical reorientation through nonlinear changes in birefringent walk-off, and dye-doped nematic liquid crystals, where the guest-host interaction amplifies reorientation and enhances the transverse force acting on the soliton, thus changing its trajectory.

We demonstrate power-dependent steering of self-confined light beams propagating in the nonparaxial regime in a guest-host nonlinear medium. Exploiting the Janossy enhancement in dye-doped liquid crystals with reorientational response, we observe sub-mW spatial soliton self-steering as large as 39 degrees, accompanied by trapping of the light spontaneously emitted by the excited dye. The self-turning is modeled in terms of an effective transverse force stemming from the longitudinal electric field in the tightly confined beams, with good agreement between data and simulations.