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Double-discrete solitons in fishnet arrays of optical fibers

We demonstrate that crossed arrays of optical fibers support the double-discrete linear and nonlinear propagation of light beams, in which not only the transverse coordinate (the fiber's number) is discrete, but also the longitudinal (propagation) coordinate, i.e., the number of the fiber-crossing site, is effectively discrete too. In the linear limit, this transmission regime features double-discrete self-collimation. The nonlinear fishnet arrays with both focusing and defocusing nonlinearities give rise to double-discrete spatial solitons. Solitons bifurcating from two different branches of the linear dispersion relation feature strong interactions and form composite states. In the continuum limit, the model of the nonlinear fishnet reduces to a system of coupled-mode equations similar to those describing Bragg gratings, but without the cross-phase-modulation terms.