Surface lattice solitons in diffusive nonlinear media

Abstract

We address the properties of surface solitons supported by optical lattices imprinted in photorefractive media with asymmetrical diffusion nonlinearity. Such solitons exist only in finite gaps of the lattice spectrum. In contrast to latticeless geometries, where surface waves exist only when nonlinearity deflects light toward the material surface, the surface lattice solitons exist in settings where diffusion would cause beam bending against the surface.