Two-peaked and flat-top perfect bright solitons in epsilon-near-zero nonlinear metamaterials: novel Kerr self-trapping mechanisms

TL;DR

This paper analytically explores novel self-trapping mechanisms in epsilon-near-zero nonlinear metamaterials, revealing two types of unique bright solitons supported by tailored Kerr nonlinearities at feasible optical intensities.

Contribution

It introduces two new self-trapping mechanisms for bright solitons in epsilon-near-zero metamaterials, enabled by tailored nonlinear Kerr parameters and critical points where effective nonlinear permittivity vanishes.

Findings

Identification of two novel self-trapping mechanisms.

Discovery of two-peaked and flat-top solitons.

Support for solitons at realistic optical intensities.

Abstract

We analytically investigate transverse magnetic (TM) spatial bright solitons, as exact solutions of Maxwell's equations, propagating through nonlinear metamaterials whose linear dielectric permittivity is very close to zero and whose effective nonlinear Kerr parameters can be tailored to achieve values not available in standard materials. Exploiting the fact that, in the considered medium, linear and nonlinear polarization can be comparable at feasible and realistic optical intensities, we identify two novel self-trapping mechanisms able to support two-peaked and flat-top solitons, respectively. Specifically, these two novel mechanisms are based on the occurrence of critical points at which the effective nonlinear permittivity vanishes, the two mechanisms differing in the way the compensation between linear and nonlinear polarization is achieved through the non-standard values of the nonlinear parameters.