SPATIAL SOLITONS OF MAXWELLS EQUATIONS

Spatial solitons of Maxwell's equations propagating in an isotropic Kerr material differ significantly from the classical soliton of the nonlinear Schrodinger equation unless the electric field is linearly polarized along a geometric axis of the soliton intensity pattern. In general the polarization state changes continuously as the beam propagates, with a period of millimeters for highly nonlinear materials. This effect is due to the form birefringence of the soliton-induced waveguide. Equivalently, a soliton of Maxwell's equations is composed of both the TE and TM modes of the axially uniform waveguide it induces. Modal beating leads to the polarization dynamics.