OBLIQUE INTERACTIONS OF DARK SPATIAL SOLITONS IN SELF-DEFOCUSING MEDIA

The oblique interaction of two dark spatial soliton stripes propagatin g in a uniform self-defocusing Kerr medium is considered. Both positiv e and negative colliding phase shifts are possible, depending on the b lackness of the dark solitons and the geometry of the interaction. The critical angle between the propagating directions of two solitons at which no phase shift occurs as a result of the interaction is 120 degr ees. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.