Counterpropagating nematicons in bias-free liquid crystals

Abstract

We experimentally investigate the interaction of two counterpropagating spatial optical solitons (nematicons) in bias-free nematic liquid crystals. We demonstrate the existence of vector solitons composed of two nematicons propagating in opposite directions and analyze their stability versus relative distance and input power.We observe the dynamic instability of two counterpropagating nematicons in the form of time-dependent splitting and spatial entanglement. Show more