Linear azimuthons in circular fiber arrays and optical angular momentum of discrete optical vortices

Abstract

We study the field generated in the outer space by the superposition of modes of a regular circular monomode fiber array. It is shown that a supermode of the fiber array generates a discrete optical vortex; the formula for the topological charge of the vortex is obtained depending on the order of the supermode and the number of fibers in the array. The orbital angular momentum carried by an arbitrary superposition of supermodes is shown to equal the weighted sum of partial angular momenta of supermodes. It is shown that for certain combinations of supermodes the angular momentum comprises along with its intrinsic part also the extrinsic constituent. For such combinations precession of the angular momentum about the propagation axis is demonstrated. It is demonstrated that by combining supermodes one can generate in the array stable regularly rotating linear azimuthons. By creating a phased excitation of certain groups of fibers in the array one can control the global soliton-like motion of the excited domain.