Abstract

Abstract: The behaviour of a scalar optical beam at the boundary between two dissimilar Kerr media is of fundamental interest in nonlinear photonics. After all, single-interface geometry is a key "building block" configuration that facilitates more sophisticated device designs and architectures for a diverse range of applications. Since this class of problem is intrinsically nonparaxial -for instance, impinging beams can be arbitrarily oblique with respect to the interface -the limitations of conventional (paraxial) theory must be observed with care. Recently, we proposed the first Helmholtz model of Kerr spatial soliton refraction that is valid across the entire range of incidence, reflection and refraction angles. In this presentation, we report the first systematic generalization of these analyses to a wider class of power-law materials. Universal refraction laws will be given, and excellent agreement shown between theoretical predictions and computer simulations. New qualitative phenomena are also uncovered in non-Kerr regimes.