paper

Universal mechanism for the binding of temporal cavity solitons

arXiv:1703.10604 · doi:10.1364/OPTICA.4.000855

Abstract

We present theoretical and experimental evidence of a universal mechanism through which temporal cavity solitons of externally-driven, passive, Kerr resonators can form robust long-range bound states. These bound states, sometime also referred to as multi-soliton states or soliton crystals in microresonators, require perturbations to the strict Lugiato-Lefever mean field description of temporal cavity solitons. Binding occurs when the perturbation excites a narrowband resonance in the soliton spectrum, which gives long oscillatory tails to the solitons. Those tails can then interlock for a discrete set of temporal separations between the solitons. The universality of this mechanism is demonstrated in fiber ring cavities by providing experimental observations of long-range bound states ensuing from three different perturbations: third-order dispersion (dispersive wave generation), the periodic nature of the cavity (Kelly sidebands), and the random birefringence of the resonator. Sub-picosecond resolution of bound state separations and their dynamics are obtained by using the dispersive Fourier transform technique. Good agreement with theoretical models, including a new vector mean-field model, is also reported.

arXiv comment10 pages, 6 figures

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