Steering photonic breathers via position-modulated Kerr nonlinearity in a segmented optomechanical array
Phys. Rev. A 113, 033509 – Published 6 March, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/jyqj-rc64
Abstract
The precise control of nonlinear wave propagation, particularly photonic breathers, in cavity optomechanical arrays remains a challenge. Here, we address this by numerically investigating a one-dimensional optomechanical chain with a segmented distribution of position-modulated self-Kerr nonlinearity (PMKN). We demonstrate that, in contrast to the symmetric case that yields a stationary Kuznetsov-Ma soliton, an asymmetry in the PMKN coefficients between the two segments robustly steers the photonic breather into the region of stronger nonlinearity and drives it into stable back-and -forth oscillations. This oscillatory dynamics is analogous to Bloch oscillations in electronic systems, with the nonlinearity gradient acting as an effective constant force. The oscillation period and spatial confinement can be precisely tuned by the intercavity and optomechanical coupling strengths. As a result, the phonon field exhibits dual-mode dynamics, featuring a propagating component synchronized with the photonic breather and a localized mode at the chain's center. This work establishes a paradigm for controlling breathing soliton in programmable optomechanical systems, with promising applications in reconfigurable optical oscillators, signal processing, and on-chip studies of nonequilibrium dynamics.
