Observation of localized modes at phase slips in two-dimensional photonic lattices

TL;DR

This paper experimentally investigates light localization phenomena at phase slips in 2D photonic lattices, revealing localized modes, solitons, and a transition between 1D and 2D localization regimes.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental observation of localized modes at phase slips in 2D photonic lattices, including solitons and a dimensional crossover.

Findings

Localized modes exist at phase slips at low powers

Strongly localized bulk and surface solitons are generated

A crossover between 1D and 2D localization is observed

Abstract

We study experimentally light localization at phase-slip waveguides and at the intersection of phase-slips in a two-dimensional (2D) square photonic lattice. Such system allows to observe a variety of effects, including the existence of spatially localized modes for low powers, the generation of strongly localized states in the form of discrete bulk and surface solitons, as well as a crossover between one-dimensional (1D) and 2D localization.