Screening-photovoltaic bright solitons in lithium niobate and associated single-mode waveguides

Photorefractive screening-photovoltaic solitons are observed in lithium niobate. Two-dimensional
bright circular solitons are formed thanks to a strong static bias field, externally applied, opposite to
the photovoltaic internal field. The dynamics of the soliton formation is monitored and compared to
a time-dependent numerical model allowing determination of the photovoltaic field. Efficient single
mode waveguides are shown to be memorized by the soliton beam for a long time.