Discrete optical solitons in waveguide arrays and photonic lattices

The paper describes optical discrete solitons, which are in general, self-trapped entities of finite extent that exist in coupled periodic nonlinear lattices. These are self-localized wavepackets whose energy resides primarily in distinct waveguide array and exist through a balance of discrete diffraction/coupling effects and material nonlinearity. Arrays made from materials having intensity-dependent Kerr, quadratic and photorefractive nonlinearities have been shown to support such discrete localized states. These can possibly exist in coupled-resonator optical waveguides (CROWs) where waveguiding is accomplished via light hopping among successive high-Q microcavities that effectively act like defects when embedded in a photonic crystal