Cavity solitons in passive bulk semiconductor microcavities. II. Dynamical properties and control

We analyze numerically the microscopic model formulated in a companion paper [J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 16, 2083 (1999)] to describe an externally driven broad-area bulk GaAs microcavity. We numerically predict the formation of patterns in the transverse profile of the output field. In particular, we find the existence of stable cavity solitons, which appear as self-organized light peaks embedded in a homogeneous background. We study the characteristics of such structures and specifically the possibility of switching them on and off at desired locations in the transverse field profile. Moreover, we analyze the interaction properties of cavity solitons with the purpose of applying them, in the future, to optical information treatment. Finally, we study the dynamical properties of cavity solitons, quantitatively evaluating the motion across the transverse plane induced by spatial gradients in the input field profile. © 1999 Optical Society of America.