Superfluid light in propagating geometries

Abstract

We review how the paraxial approximation naturally leads to a hydrodynamic description of light propagation in a Kerr nonlinear medium analogous to the Gross-Pitaevskii equation for the temporal evolution of the order parameter of a superfluid. The main features of the many-body collective dynamics of these fluids of light in a propagating geometry are discussed: Generation and observation of Bogoliubov sound waves on top of the fluid is first described. Experimentally accessible manifestations of superfluidity are then highlighted. Perspectives in view of realizing analog models of gravity are finally given.