MOTION CONTROL OF ENSEMBLES OF ORDERED OPTICAL VORTICES GENERATED ON FINITE EXTENT BACKGROUND

Vortex motion in ordered structures is analysed numerically in the fra me of the 2D nonlinear Schrodinger equation. Analogies with superfluid dynamics are presented. It was found that coherent interaction of opt ical vortex solitons (OVSs) leads to vortex motion, which can be adequ ately described by the Kelvin law in superfluid dynamics for large off sets between the OVSs. Cancelation of motion in some spatial configura tions of vortices and vortex lattices is observed. The possibility to steer the motion of vortex ensembles is discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier S cience B.V. All rights reserved.