Soliton dynamics in the complex modified KdV equation with a periodic potential

Abstract

We study the existence and stability of stationary and moving solitary waves in a periodically modulated system governed by an extended cmKdV (complex modified Korteweg–de Vries) equation. The proposed equation describes, in particular, the co-propagation of two electromagnetic waves with different amplitudes and orthogonal linear polarizations in a liquid crystal waveguide, the stronger (nonlinear) wave actually carrying the soliton, while the other (a nearly linear one) creates an effective periodic potential. A variational analysis predicts solitons pinned at minima and maxima of the periodic potential, and the Vakhitov–Kolokolov criterion predicts that some of them may be stable. Numerical simulations confirm the existence of stable stationary solitary waves trapped at the minima of the potential, and show that persistently moving solitons exist too. The dynamics of pairs of interacting solitons is also studied. In the absence of the potential, the interaction is drastically different from the behavior known in the NLS (nonlinear Schrödinger) equation, as the force of the interaction between the cmKdV solitons is proportional to the sine, rather than cosine, of the phase difference between the solitons. In the presence of the potential, two solitons placed in one potential well form a persistently oscillating bound state.