Abstract

We show, theoretically and experimentally, the existence of a multistable regime in a nonlinear saturable coupler. In spite of its simplicity, we found that this model shows generic and fundamental properties of extended saturable lattices. The study of this basic unit becomes crucial to understanding localization mechanisms and dynamical properties of extended discrete nonlinear saturable systems. We theoretically predict the regions of existence of intermediate solutions and experimentally confirm them by observing a multistable propagation regime in a LiNbO3 saturable coupler. This constitutes an experimental evidence of the existence of these unstable symmetry-broken stationary solutions. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.87.043837