Nonlinear dynamics of wave packets in parity-time-symmetric optical lattices near the phase transition point

Nonlinear dynamics of wave packets in parity-time-symmetric optical lattices near the phase-transition point is analytically studied. A nonlinear Klein-Gordon equation is derived for the envelope of these wave packets. A variety of phenomena known to exist in this envelope equation are shown to also exist in the full equation, including wave blowup, periodic bound states, and solitary wave solutions. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America