Soliton dynamics in semiconductor photonic crystals

Semiconductor optical waveguides have been the subject of intense study as both fundamental objects of study, as well as a path to photonic integration. In this talk I will focus on the nonlinear evolution of optical solitons in photonic crystal waveguides made of semiconductor materials. The ability to independently tune the dispersion and the nonlinearity in photonic crystal waveguides enables the examination of completely different nonlinear regimes in the same platform. I will describe experimental efforts utilizing time-resolved measurements to reveal a number of physical phenomena unique to solitons in a free carrier medium. The experiments are supported by analytic and numerical models providing a deeper insight into the physical scaling of these processes.

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