Composite spatial solitons in a saturable nonlinear bulk medium

We review the generation of the recently predicted multi-component spatial optical solitons in a saturable nonlinear bulk medium. We present numerical simulations for an effectively isotropic model and experimental results fo r a set of different combinations of a Gaussian beam co-propagating incoher ently with a beam of a more complex internal structure, such as a higher or der transverse laser mode. We discuss the different formation processes and the general properties of a variety of different dipole-mode composite sol itons and expand our investigations to the generation of a quadrupole-mode composite soliton.