I study vector solitons involving two incoherently-coupled field components in periodic PT-symmetric optical lattices. The specific symmetry of the lattice imposes the restrictions on the symmetry of available vector soliton states. While all configurations with asymmetric intensity distributions are prohibited, such lattices support multi-hump solitons with equal number of "in-phase" or "out-of-phase" spots in two components, residing on neighboring lattice channels. In the focusing medium only the solitons containing out-of-phase spots in at least one component can be stable, while in the defocusing medium stability is achieved for structures consisting of in-phase spots. Mixed-gap vector solitons with components emerging from different gaps in the lattice spectrum also exist and can be stable in the PT-symmetric lattice.
We address the properties of fully three-dimensional solitons in complex parity-time (PT)-symmetric periodic lattices with focusing Kerr nonlinearity, and uncover that such lattices can stabilize both, fundamental and vortex-carrying soliton states. The imaginary part of the lattice induces internal currents in the solitons that strongly affect their domains of existence and stability. The domain of stability for fundamental solitons can extend nearly up to the PT-symmetry breaking point, where the linear lattice spectrum becomes complex. Vortex solitons feature spatially asymmetric profiles i…
We address the transverse mobility of spatial solitons in competing parity-time-symmetric linear and nonlinear lattices. The competition between out-of-phase linear and nonlinear lattices results in a drastic mobility enhancement within a range of soliton energies. We show that within such range, the addition of even a small imaginary part in the linear potential makes soliton mobility strongly asymmetric. The minimal phase tilt required for setting solitons into radiationless motion across the lattice in the direction opposite to that of the internal current drops to nearly zero, while the mi…
Dynamics of symmetric and antisymmetric 2-solitons and 3-solitons is studied in the model of the nonlinear dual-core coupler and its PT-symmetric version. Regions of the convergence of the injected perturbed symmetric and antisymmetric N-solitons into symmetric and asymmetric quasi-solitons are found. In the PT-symmetric system, with the balanced gain and loss acting in the two cores, borders of the stability against the blowup are identified. Notably, in all the cases the stability regions are larger for antisymmetric 2-soliton inputs than for their symmetric counterparts, on the contrary to …
Symmetry breaking of solitons in a class of one-dimensional parity-time (PT) symmetric complex potentials with cubic nonlinearity is reported. In generic PT-symmetric potentials, such symmetry breaking is forbidden. However, in a special class of PT-symmetric potentials $V(x)=g^2(x)+αg(x)+ i g'(x)$, where $g(x)$ is a real and even function and $α$ a real constant, symmetry breaking of solitons can occur. That is, a branch of non-PT-symmetric solitons can bifurcate out from the base branch of PT-symmetric solitons when the base branch's power reaches a certain threshold. At the bifurcation poin…
Families of analytical solutions are found for symmetric and antisymmetric solitons in the dual-core system with the Kerr nonlinearity and PT-balanced gain and loss. The crucial issue is stability of the solitons. A stability region is obtained in an analytical form, and verified by simulations, for the PT-symmetric solitons. For the antisymmetric ones, the stability border is found in a numerical form. Moving solitons of both types collide elastically. The two soliton species merge into one in the "supersymmetric" case, with equal coefficients of the gain, loss and inter-core coupling. These …
We show that bimodal systems with a spatially nonuniform defocusing cubic nonlinearity, whose strength grows toward the periphery, can support stable two-component solitons. For a sufficiently strong XPM interaction, vector solitons with overlapping components become unstable, while stable families of solitons with spatially separated components emerge. Stable complexes with separated components may be composed not only of fundamental solitons, but of multipoles too.
The existence and stability of defect solitons in parity-time (PT) symmetric optical lattices with nonlocal nonlinearity are reported. It is found that nonlocality can expand the stability region of defect solitons. For positive or zero defects, fundamental and dipole solitons can exist stably in the semi-infinite gap and the first gap, respectively. For negative defects, fundamental solitons can be stable in both the semi-infinite gap and the first gap, whereas dipole solitons are unstable in the first gap. There exist a maximum degree of nonlocal nonlinearity, above which the fundamental sol…
We report a new type of symmetry-breaking bifurcation of solitons in optical systems with parity-time-symmetric potentials. In this bifurcation, the two bifurcated branches of asymmetric solitons exhibit opposite stability, which contrasts all previous symmetry-breaking bifurcations in conservative and non-conservative systems. We show that this novel symmetry-breaking bifurcation can be exploited to achieve unidirectional propagation of high-intensity light beams in parity-time-symmetric potentials.
We consider the existence and stability of solitons in a $χ^{(2)}$ coupler. Both the fundamental and second harmonics undergo gain in one of the coupler cores and are absorbed in the other one. The gain and losses are balanced creating a parity-time (${\cal PT}$) symmetric configuration. We present two types of families of ${\cal PT}$-symmetric solitons, having equal and different profiles of the fundamental and second harmonics. It is shown that gain and losses can stabilize solitons. Interaction of stable solitons is shown. In the cascading limit the model is reduced to the ${\cal PT}$-symme…
We study symmetry breaking of solitons in the framework of a nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation (NLFSE), characterized by its Lévy index, with cubic nonlinearity and a symmetric double-well potential. Asymmetric, symmetric, and antisymmetric soliton solutions are found, with stable asymmetric soliton solutions emerging from unstable symmetric and antisymmetric ones by way of symmetry-breaking bifurcations. Two different bifurcation scenarios are possible. First, symmetric soliton solutions undergo a symmetry-breaking bifurcation of the pitchfork type, which gives rise to a branch of asy…
We study collisions of moving nonlinear-Schrödinger solitons with a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric dipole embedded into the one-dimensional self-focusing or defocusing medium. Accurate analytical results are produced for bright solitons, and, in a more qualitative form, for dark ones. In the former case, an essential aspect of the approximation is that it must take into regard the intrinsic chirp of the soliton, thus going beyond the framework of the simplest quasi-particle description of the soliton's dynamics. Critical velocities separating reflection and transmission of the incident bright solito…
Stability of soliton families in one-dimensional nonlinear Schroedinger equations with non-parity-time (PT)-symmetric complex potentials is investigated numerically. It is shown that these solitons can be linearly stable in a wide range of parameter values both below and above phase transition. In addition, a pseudo-Hamiltonian-Hopf bifurcation is revealed, where pairs of purely-imaginary eigenvalues in the linear-stability spectra of solitons collide and bifurcate off the imaginary axis, creating oscillatory instability, which resembles Hamiltonian-Hopf bifurcations of solitons in Hamiltonian…
The propagation properties of optical fields in linear and nonlinear parity-time symmetric microring coupled resonator optical waveguides are studied. The effects described include the existence of symmetry breaking thresholds, the propagation of gap solitons in nonlinear transmission lines and the existence of quasi stable propagation regimes outside the broken symmetry regions.
Solitons in one-dimensional parity-time (PT)-symmetric periodic potentials are studied using exponential asymptotics. The new feature of this exponential asymptotics is that, unlike conservative periodic potentials, the inner and outer integral equations arising in this analysis are both coupled systems due to complex-valued solitons. Solving these coupled systems, we show that two soliton families bifurcate out from each Bloch-band edge for either self-focusing or self-defocusing nonlinearity. An asymptotic expression for the eigenvalues associated with the linear stability of these soliton f…
We discover that a spatially localized gain supports stable vortex solitons in media with cubic nonlinearity and two-photon absorption. The interplay between nonlinear losses and gain in amplifying rings results in suppression of otherwise ubiquitous azimuthal modulation instabilities of radially symmetric vortex solitons. We uncover that the topology of the gain profile imposes restrictions on the maximal possible charge of vortex solitons. Symmetry breaking occurs at high gain levels resulting in the formation of necklace vortex solitons composed of asymmetric bright spots.
We have investigated mixed-gap vector solitons involving incoherently coupled fundamental and dipole components in a parity-time (PT) symmetric lattice with saturable nonlinearity. For the focusing case, vector solitons emerge from the semi-infinite and the first finite gaps, while for the defocusing case, vector solitons emerge from the first finite and the second finite gaps. For both cases, we find that stronger saturable nonlinearity is relative to sharper increase/decrease of soliton power with propagation constant and to narrower existence domain of vector solitons. This finding is helpf…
We investigate light beam propagation along the interface between linear and nonlinear media with parity-time PT symmetry, and derive an equation governing the beam propagation. A novel class of two-dimensional PT surface solitons are found analytically and numerically, and checked to be stable over a wide range of PT potential structures and parameters. These surface solitons do not require a power threshold. The transverse power flow across beam is examined within the solitons and found to be caused by the nontrivial phase structure of the solitons. PT surface solitons are possibly observed …
For the one-dimensional nonlinear Schroedinger equations with parity-time (PT) symmetric potentials, it is shown that when a real symmetric potential is perturbed by weak PT-symmetric perturbations, continuous families of asymmetric solitary waves in the real potential are destroyed. It is also shown that in the same model with a general PT-symmetric potential, symmetry breaking of PT-symmetric solitary waves do not occur. Based on these findings, it is conjectured that one-dimensional PT-symmetric potentials cannot support continuous families of non-PT-symmetric solitary waves.
Families of coupled solitons of $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric physical models with gain and loss in fractional dimension and in settings with and without cross-interactions modulation (CIM), are reported. Profiles, powers, stability areas, and propagation dynamics of the obtained $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric coupled solitons are investigated. By comparing the results of the models with and without CIM, we find that the stability area of the model with CIM is much broader than the one without CIM. Remarkably, oscillating $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric coupled solitons can also exist in the model of CIM with t…
Stability of solitons in parity-time (PT)-symmetric periodic potentials (optical lattices) is analyzed in both one- and two-dimensional systems. First we show analytically that when the strength of the gain-loss component in the PT lattice rises above a certain threshold (phase-transition point), an infinite number of linear Bloch bands turn complex simultaneously. Second, we show that while stable families of solitons can exist in PT lattices, increasing the gain-loss component has an overall destabilizing effect on soliton propagation. Specifically, when the gain-loss component increases, th…
We study spatial and temporal solitons in the $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetric coupler with gain in one waveguide and loss in the other. Stability properties of the high- and low-frequency solitons are found to be completely determined by a single combination of the soliton's amplitude and the gain/loss coefficient of the waveguides. The unstable perturbations of the high-frequency soliton break the symmetry between its active and lossy components which results in a blowup of the soliton or a formation of a long-lived breather state. The unstable perturbations of the low-frequency soliton separate its…
We report a detailed study on soliton steering dynamics in a parity-time-symmetric directional coupler in the femtosecond domain, which requires incorporation of higher-order perturbative effects such as third-order and fourth-order dispersions, self-steepening, and intrapulse Raman scattering. With a high gain/loss, the combination of all these effects is found to stabilize the soliton pulse evolution in the coupler from the chaotic behavior of unperturbed evolution. This work demonstrates that efficient soliton steering can be achieved at very low critical power and a relatively higher gain/…
We elucidate the properties of mixed-gap vector surface solitons supported by the interface between a uniform medium and an optical lattice imprinted in a Kerr-type nonlinear media. The components of such mixed-gap solitons emerge from different gaps of lattice spectrum and their mutual trapping results in the formation of stable vector states. The unstable soliton component is stabilized by the cross-coupling with the stable component. We show that vector mixed-gap surface solitons exhibit a new combination of properties of vectorial surface waves and gap solitons.
Multi-dimensional complex optical potentials with partial parity-time (PT) symmetry are proposed. The usual PT symmetry requires that the potential is invariant under complex conjugation and simultaneous reflection in all spatial directions. However, we show that if the potential is only partially PT-symmetric, i.e., it is invariant under complex conjugation and reflection in a single spatial direction, then it can also possess all-real spectra and continuous families of solitons. These results are established analytically and corroborated numerically.
We address the properties of optical solitons that form in media with competing cubic-quintic nonlinearity and parity-time(PT)-symmetric complex-valued external potentials. The model describes the propagation of solitons in nonlinear optical waveguides with balanced gain and loss. We study the existence, stability, and robustness of fundamental, dipole, and multipole stationary solutions in this PT-symmetric system. The corresponding eigenvalue spectra diagrams for fundamental, dipole, tripole, and quadrupole solitons are presented. We show that the eigenvalue spectra diagrams for fundamental …
We consider two-component solitons in a medium with a periodic modulation of the nonlinear coefficient. The modulation enables the existence of complex multihump vector states. In particular, vector solitons composed of dipole and fundamental, or dipole and even double-hump components exist and may be stable. Families of unstable scalar solitons can be stabilized in the vectorial form, due to the coupling to a stable second component.
We study the existence and stability of fundamental bright discrete solitons in a parity-time (PT)-symmetric coupler composed by a chain of dimers, that is modelled by linearly coupled discrete nonlinear Schrodinger equations with gain and loss terms. We use a perturbation theory for small coupling between the lattices to perform the analysis, which is then confirmed by numerical calculations. Such analysis is based on the concept of the so-called anti-continuum limit approach. We consider the fundamental onsite and intersite bright solitons. Each solution has symmetric and antisymmetric confi…
Under investigation in this paper are the coupled complex short pulse equations, which describe the propagation of ultra-short optical pulses in cubic nonlinear media.Through the Hirota method, bright-dark one- and two-soliton solutions are obtained. Interactions between two bright or two dark solitons are verified to be elastic through the asymptotic analysis. With different parameter conditions of the vector bright-dark two solitons, the oblique interactions, bound states of solitons and parallel solitons are analyzed.
It is studied the bright spatial solitons in nonlocal defocusing Kerr media with parity-time (PT) symmetric potentials. We find that these solitons can exist and be stable over a different range of potential parameters. The influence of the degree of nonlocality on the solitons and the transverse energy flow within the stable solitons are also examined.
We analyze a system of three two-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equations coupled by linear terms and with the cubic-quintic (focusing-defocusing) nonlinearity. We consider two versions of the model: conservative and parity-time ($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetric. These models describe triple-core nonlinear optical waveguides, with balanced gain and losses in the $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric case. We obtain families of soliton solutions and discuss their stability. The latter study is performed using a linear stability analysis and checked with direct numerical simulations of the evolutional system of …
We construct dark solitons in the recently introduced model of the nonlinear dual-core coupler with the mutually balanced gain and loss applied to the two cores, which is a realization of parity-time symmetry in nonlinear optics. The main issue is stability of the dark solitons. The modulational stability of the CW (continuous-wave) background, which supports the dark solitons, is studied analytically, and the full stability is investigated in a numerical form, via computation of eigenvalues for modes of small perturbations. Stability regions are thus identified in the parameter space of the s…
Existence of localized modes supported by the PT-symmetric nonlinear lattices is reported. The system considered reveals unusual properties: unlike other typical dissipative systems it possesses families (branches) of solutions, which can be parametrized by the propagation constant; relatively narrow localized modes appear to be stable, even when the conservative nonlinear lattice potential is absent; finally, the system supports stable multipole solutions.
We introduce one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) models of parity-time ($% \mathcal{PT}$) -symmetric couplers with the mutually balanced linear gain and loss applied to the two cores, and cubic-quintic (CQ) nonlinearity acting in each one. The 2D and 1D models may be realized in dual-core optical waveguides, in the spatiotemporal and spatial domains, respectively. Stationary solutions for $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric solitons in these systems reduce to their counterparts in the usual coupler. The most essential problem is the stability of the solitons, which become unstable against symmetry break…
We report experimental observation of incoherently coupled dark-bright vector solitons in single-mode fibers. Properties of the vector solitons agree well with those predicted by the respective systems of incoherently coupled nonlinear Schroedinger equations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first experimental observation of temporal incoherently coupled dark-bright solitons in single-mode fibers.
The properties of vector vortex beams in vertical-cavity-surface emitting lasers with frequency-selective feedback is investigated. They are interpreted as high-order vortex solitons with a spatially non-uniform, but locally linear polarization state. In contrast to most schemes to obtain vector vortex beams relying on imprinting the polarization structure, vector vortex solitons form spontaneously due to the near polarization degeneracy in vertical-cavity devices. We observe radially, hyperbolic and spiral polarization configurations depending on small residual anisotropies in the system and …
We construct families of one-dimensional (1D) stable solitons in two-component $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric systems with spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and quintic nonlinearity, which plays the critical role in 1D setups. The system models light propagation in a dual-core waveguide with skewed coupling between the cores. Stability regions for the solitons are identified in the system's parameter space. They include the main semi-infinite gap, and an additional finite $\textit{annex gap}$. Stability boundaries are identified by means of simulations of the perturbed evolution, which agree with results pr…
We theoretically demonstrate soliton steering in $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric coupled nonlinear dimers. We show that if the length of the $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric system is set to $2π$ contrary to the conventional one which operates satisfactorily well only at the half-beat coupling length, the $\mathcal{PT}$ dimer remarkably yields an ideal soliton switch exhibiting almost 99.99% energy efficiency with an ultra-low critical power.
We introduce a 2D network built of $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric dimers with on-site cubic nonlinearity, the gain and loss elements of the dimers being linked by parallel square-shaped lattices. The system may be realized as a set of $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric dual-core waveguides embedded into a photonic crystal. The system supports $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric and antisymmetric fundamental solitons (FSs) and on-site-centered solitary vortices (OnVs). Stability of these discrete solitons is the central topic of the consideration. Their stability regions in the underlying parameter space are identified t…
We predict multiband vector Plasmonic Lattice Solitons (PLSs) in metal-dielectric waveguide arrays, in both focusing and defocusing nonlinearities. Such vector solitons consist of two components originating from different transmission bands. By simulating the full nonlinear Maxwell equations (MEs), we demonstrate the diffractionless propagation of vector PLSs and their discrete diffraction when only one component is present. Their subwavelength size characteristics and the influences of metallic losses are also studied.
We address the formation and propagation of vector solitons in optical lattices in the presence of anisotropy-induced walk-off between ordinary and extraordinary polarized field components. Stable vector solitons trapped by the lattice form above a threshold power, while decreasing the lattice depth below a critical value results in the abrupt release of the caged solitons, that then move across the lattice and may get trapped in a desired lattice channel.
We report the first experimental observation of vector surface solitons, which form at the edge and in the corner of two-dimensional laser-written waveguide arrays. These elliptically polarized vector states are composed of two orthogonally polarized components. They exist only above a power threshold and bifurcate from scalar surface solitons. The components of a vector soliton may have substantially different degrees of localization in certain parameter ranges.
The existence and stability of fundamental, dipole, and tripole solitons in Kerr nonlinear media with parity-time symmetric Gaussian complex potentials are reported. Fundamental solitons are stable not only in deep potentials but also in shallow potentials. Dipole and tripole solitons are stable only in deep potentials, and tripole solitons are stable in deeper potentials than for dipole solitons. The stable regions of solitons increase with increasing potential depth. The power of solitons increases with increasing propagation constant or decreasing modulation depth of the potentials.
We numerically study the nonlocal gap solitons in parity-time (PT) symmetric optical lattices built into a nonlocal self-focusing medium. We state the existence, stability, and propagation dynamics of such PT gap solitons in detail. Simulated results show that there exist stable gap soltions. The influences of the degree of nonlocality on the soliton power, the energy flow density and the stable region of the PT gap solitons are also examined.
We study symmetric and asymmetric optical multi-peak solitons on a continuous wave background in the femtosecond regime of a single-mode fiber. Key characteristics of such multi-peak solitons, as the formation mechanism, propagation stability, and shape-changing collisions, are revealed in detail. Our results show that this multi-peak (symmetric or asymmetric) mode could be regarded as a single pulse formed by a nonlinear superposition of a periodic wave and a single-peak (W-shaped or antidark) soliton. In particular, a phase diagram for different types of nonlinear excitations on a continuous…
We consider a dual-core nonlinear waveguide with the parity-time (PT) symmetry, realized in the form of equal gain and loss terms carried by the coupled cores. To expand a previously found stability region for solitons in this system, and explore possibilities for the development of dynamical control of the solitons, we introduce "management" in the form of periodic sinusoidal variation of the loss-gain (LG) coefficients, along with synchronous variation of the inter-core coupling (ICC) constant. This system, which can be realized in optics (in the temporal and spatial domains alike), features…
We address the properties and dynamical stability of one-dimensional vector lattice solitons in Kerr-type cubic medium with harmonic transverse modulation of refractive index. We discovered that unstable families of scalar lattice solitons can be stabilized via the cross-phase modulation (XPM) in the vector case. It was found that multi-humped vector solitons that are unstable in uniform media where XPM strength is higher than that of self-phase modulation, can also be stabilized by the lattice.
We show that multipole solitons can be made stable via vectorial coupling in bulk nonlocal nonlinear media. Such vector solitons are composed of mutually incoherent nodeless and multipole components jointly inducing a nonlinear refractive index profile. We found that stabilization of the otherwise highly unstable multipoles occurs below a maximum energy flow. Such threshold is determined by the nonlocality degree.
Discrete fundamental and dipole solitons are constructed, in an exact analytical form, in an array of linear waveguides with an embedded $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric dimer, which is composed of two nonlinear waveguides carrying equal gain and loss. Fundamental solitons in tightly knit lattices, as well as all dipole modes, exist above a finite threshold value of the total power. However, the threshold vanishes for fundamental solitons in loosely knit lattices. The stability of the discrete solitons is investigated analytically by means of the Vakhitov-Kolokolov (VK) criterion, and, in the full for…
We analyze nonlinear collective effects near surfaces of semi-infinite periodic systems with multi-gap transmission spectra and introduce a novel concept of multi-gap surface solitons as mutually trapped surface states with the components associated with different spectral gaps. We find numerically discrete surface modes in semi-infinite binary waveguide arrays which can support simultaneously two types of discrete solitons, and analyze different multi-gap states including the soliton-induced waveguides with the guided modes from different gaps and composite vector solitons.
We report results for solitons in models of waveguides with focusing or defocusing saturable nonlinearity and a parity-time(PT )-symmetric complex-valued external potential of the Scarf-II type. The model applies to the nonlinear wave propagation in graded-index optical waveguides with balanced gain and loss. We find both fundamental and multipole solitons for both focusing and defocusing signs of the saturable nonlinearity in such PT -symmetric waveguides. The dependence of the propagation constant on the soliton's power is presented for different strengths of the nonlinearity saturation, S. …
We introduce multi-soliton sets in the two-dimensional medium with the second-harmonic-generating nonlinearity subject to spatial modulation in the form of a triangle of singular peaks. Various families of symmetric and asymmetric sets are constructed, and their stability is investigated. Stable symmetric patterns may be built of 1, 4, or 7 individual solitons, while stable asymmetric ones contain 1, 2, or 3 solitons. Symmetric and asymmetric patterns may demonstrate mutual bistability. The shift of the asymmetric single-soliton state from the central position is accurately predicted analytica…
It is well known that the two-dimensional (2D) nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) with the cubic-quintic (CQ) nonlinearity supports a family of stable fundamental solitons, as well as solitary vortices (alias vortex rings), which are stable for sufficiently large values of the norm. We study stationary localized modes in a symmetric linearly coupled system of two such equations, focusing on asymmetric states. The model may describe "optical bullets" in dual-core nonlinear optical waveguides (including spatiotemporal vortices that were not discussed before), or a Bose-Einstein condensate (BE…
Soliton rain is a bunch of small soliton pulses slowly drifting nearby the main pulse having the period of a round trip. For Er-doped fiber laser mode-locked by carbon nanotubes, for the first time, we demonstrate both experimentally and theoretically a new type of polarization attractors controllable by the vector soliton rain. With adjusting the pump power, vector soliton rain takes the form of pulses with rotating states of polarization which enable transforming slowly evolving trajectories on the Poincaré sphere from the double-scroll spiral to the circle. The obtained results on controlli…
We investigate the switching dynamics in a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric fiber coupler composed of a saturable nonlinear material as the core. In such a saturable nonlinear medium, bistable solitons may evolve due to the balance between dispersion and saturable nonlinearity, which we extend in the context of the $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric coupler. Our investigations of power-controlled and phase-sensitive switching show richer soliton switching dynamics than the currently existing conventional counterparts, which may lead to ultrafast and efficient all-optical switching dynamics at very low power owi…
We introduce vector soliton complexes in nonlocal Kerr-type nonlinear media. We discover that under proper conditions the combination of nonlocality and vectorial coupling has a remarkable stabilizing action on multi-humped solitons. In particular, we find that stable bound states featuring several field oscillations in each soliton component do exist. This affords stabilization of vector soliton trains incorporating large number of humps, a class of structures known to self-destroy via strong instabilities in scalar settings.
The existence and stability of defect solitons supported by parity-time (PT) symmetric superlattices with nonlocal nonlinearity are investigated. In the semi-infinite gap, in-phase solitons are found to exist stably for positive or zero defects, but can not exist in the presence of negative defects with strong nonlocality. In the first gap, out-of-phase solitons are stable for positive or zero defects, whereas in-phase solitons are stable for negative defects. The dependence of soliton stabilities on modulation depth of the PT potentials is studied. It is interesting that solitons can exist st…