Nonlinear wave interaction in photonic band gap materials

We present detailed analytical and numerical studies of nonlinear wave interaction processes in one-dimensional (1D) photonic band gap (PBG) materials with a Kerr nonlinearity. We demonstrate that some of these processes provide efficient mechanisms for dynamically controlling so-called gap-solitons. We derive analytical expressions that accurately determine the phase shifts experienced by nonlinear waves for a large class of non-resonant interaction processes. We also present comprehensive numerical studies of inelastic interactions, and show that rather distinct regimes of interaction exist. The predicted effects should be experimentally observable, and can be utilized for probing the existence and parameters of gap solitons. Our results are directly applicable to other nonlinear periodic structures such as Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices.