Researchers create class of tiny polarization structures called solitons

Phys.org  July 26, 2023 Ferroelectric solitons represent a new class of materials with promise for beyond-CMOS technologies due to their ultrafine size and sensitivity to external stimuli. Such polarization textures have scarcely been demonstrated in multiferroics. Using a special arrangement an international team of researchers (Australia, USA – University of Arkansas) presented evidence of solitons in bismuth ferrite and strontium titanate superlattice. High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy revealed a zoo of topologies, and polarization displacement mapping of planar specimens revealed center-convergent/divergent topological defects as small as 3 nm. Phase-field simulations verified that some of these structures could be classed as bimerons […]

A quantum view of ‘combs’ of light

Phys.org  December 16, 2021 An international team of researchers (USA – Stanford University, Germany) used second-order photon correlations to study the underlying quantum processes of soliton microcombs in an integrated silicon carbide microresonator. They showed that a stable temporal lattice of solitons can isolate a multimode below-threshold Gaussian state from any admixture of coherent light and predict that all-to-all entanglement can be realized for the state. Their work opens a pathway toward a soliton-based multimode quantum resource. Microcombs have the potential to enhance countless technologies, including GPS systems, telecommunications, autonomous vehicles, greenhouse gas tracking, spacecraft autonomy and ultra-precise timekeeping…read more. […]

Solitonics in molecular wires could benefit electronics

Phys.org  March 24, 2020 Polyacetylene molecular wires have attracted a long-standing interest for the past 40 years. Because of recent experimental developments, individual polyacetylene chains can now be synthesized on substrates. An international team of researchers (Germany, USA – Columbia University) proposes a novel way for chemically supported soliton design in these systems. They have demonstrated how to control the soliton position and how to read it out via external means and show how extra soliton–antisoliton pairs arise when applying a moderate static electric field. The research is a step toward functionality of electronic devices based on soliton manipulation…read more. […]

Laser solitons: Theory, topology and potential applications

Science Daily  July 31, 2019 Solitons have found applications in data transmission but even these gradually dissipate unless the medium they travel through has ultra-low absorbance. In computer simulations researchers in Russia found that suggesting that it was theoretically possible to produce a stable soliton in a wide-aperture laser if it was stabilised by external radiation. Beginning from geometrically one-dimensional and turning to two-dimensional and then to three-dimensional solitons they demonstrated the evolution of the features. When the remaining questions are answered, the stability of these solitons and their topology suggest potential applications in storing digital information…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE