Counterpropagating surface solitons in two-dimensional photorefractive lattices

Abstract

We study interaction of counterpropagating beams in truncated two-dimensional photonic lattices induced optically in photorefractive crystals, and demonstrate the existence of counterpropagating surface solitons localized in the lattice corners and at the edges. We display intriguing dynamical properties of such composite optical beams and reveal that the lattice surface provides a strong stabilization effect on the beam propagation. We also observe dynamical instabilities for stronger coupling and longer propagation distances in the form of beam splitting. No such instabilities exist in the single beam surface propagation.