Vortices and ring dark solitons in nonlinear amplifying waveguides

Abstract

We consider the generation and propagation of (2+1)-dimensional beams in a nonlinear waveguide with the linear gain. Simple self-similar evolution of the beams is achieved at the asymptotic stage, if the input beams represent the fundamental mode. On the contrary, if they carry vorticity or amplitude nodes (or phase slips), vortex tori and ring dark solitons (RDSs) are generated, featuring another type of the self-similar evolution, with an exponentially shrinking vortex core or notch of the RDS. Numerical and analytical considerations reveal that these self-similar structures are robust entities in amplifying waveguides, being \emph{stable} against azimuthal perturbations.