Self-organization of light in optical media with competing nonlinearities

TL;DR

This paper investigates how competing nonlocal nonlinearities in optical media lead to self-organized, stable hexagonal light patterns, demonstrating a universal phenomenon observable in various optical settings.

Contribution

It reveals that competing nonlocal nonlinearities induce self-organization and stable pattern formation in light propagation, a phenomenon applicable beyond specific atomic vapor models.

Findings

Formation of stable hexagonal intensity patterns

Observation of long-range order in light propagation

Self-organization occurs in various optical media

Abstract

We study the propagation of light beams through optical media with competing nonlocal nonlinearities. We demonstrate that the nonlocality of competing focusing and defocusing nonlinearities gives rise to self-organization and stationary states with stable hexagonal intensity patterns, akin to transverse crystals of light filaments. Signatures of this long-range ordering are shown to be observable in the propagation of light in optical waveguides and even in free space. We consider a specific form of the nonlinear response that arises in atomic vapor upon proper light coupling. Yet, the general phenomenon of self-organization is a generic consequence of competing nonlocal nonlinearities, and may, hence, also be observed in other settings.