Negative refraction and spatial echo in optical waveguide arrays

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how symmetry properties of the discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation enable negative refraction and spatial echo of light in waveguide arrays, using a proposed waveguide configuration and numerical simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel waveguide array design that achieves negative refraction and spatial echo based on symmetry-induced wavefunction revival.

Findings

Numerical simulations confirm negative refraction of spatial solitons.

A short waveguide array can induce a pi phase shift for wave inversion.

The method leverages symmetry properties for wave control.

Abstract

The special symmetry properties of the discrete nonlinear Schrodinger equation allow a complete revival of the initial wavefunction. That is employed in the context of stationary propagation of light in a waveguide array. As an inverting system we propose a short array of almost isolated waveguides which cause a relative pi phase shift in the neighboring waveguides. By means of numerical simulations of the model equations we demonstrate a novel mechanism for the negative refraction of spatial solitons.