Collapse Dynamics of Vortex Beams in a Kerr Medium with Refractive Index Modulation and PT-Symmetric Lattices

Abstract

Using the two-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation, the collapse dynamics of vortex beams in a Kerr medium with refractive index modulation and parity–time (PT) symmetric lattices are explored. The critical power for the collapse of vortex beams in a Kerr medium with real optical lattices (i.e., refractive index modulation lattices) was obtained and discussed. Numerical calculations showed that the number of self-focusing points, the locations of the collapse, and the propagation distances for collapse are sensitively dependent on the modulation factors, topological charge numbers, and initial powers. When the vortex optical field propagates in a Kerr medium with real optical lattices, the optical field will collapse into a symmetrical shape. However, the shape of the vortex beam will be chaotically distorted and collapse in asymmetric patterns during propagation in a Kerr medium with PT-symmetric lattices because of the presence of the complex refraction index. Introducing PT-symmetric lattices into nonlinear Kerr materials may offer a new approach to controlling the collapse of vortex beams.