Vortex solitons in rotating quasi-phase-matched photonic crystals

We present an approach to generate stable vortex solitons (VSs) in rotating quasi- phase-matched photonic crystals with quadratic nonlinearity. The photonic crystal is introduced with a checkerboard structure, which can be realized using available technology. The VSs are constructed as four-peak vortex modes of two types: rhombuses and squares. Control parameters, including the power, rotating frequency, and size of each square cell, affect the distribution and stability range of these VSs. The tightly binding rhombic VSs realize the system's ground state, which features the lowest value of the Hamiltonian. By introducing rotation, stable VSs with topological charges l = +/- 1 and +/- 2 are observed, and the VSs turn from a quadrupole to a vortex-like state. The generation and modulation of stable VSs in rotating quasi-phase-matched photonic crystals demonstrate promising applications in optical communication systems, optical tweezers, and quantum information processing, where precise control over light propagation and vortex states is crucial. (c) 2024 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement