Experimental observation of spatial soliton interactions with a π/2 relative phase difference

We report the experimental observation of the nonlinear interaction between two fundamental spatial solitons with a π/2 phase difference in carbon disulfide. An energy flow from the phase-advanced soliton to the phase-delayed soliton was observed, which leads to a single self-trapped beam. The position of the output beam can be switched by reversing the sign of the solitons’ initial phase difference. © 1992, Optical Society of America.