Particle and wave dynamics of nonlocal solitons in external potentials

Abstract

We study nonlocal bright solitons subject to external spatially nonuniform potentials. If the potential is slowly varying on the soliton scale, we derive analytical soliton solutions behaving like Newtonian particles. If the potential has the form of an attractive delta-like point defect, we identify different dynamical regimes, defined by the relative strength of the nonlocality and the point defect. In these regimes, the soliton can be trapped at the defect's location, via a nonlinear resonance with a defect mode –which is found analytically– reflected by or transmitted through the defect, featuring a wave behavior. Our analytical predictions are corroborated by results of direct numerical simulations.