Abstract: We study experimentally the interaction of spatial optical solitons with curved dielectric surfaces in unbiased nematic liquid crystals. We demonstrate that this interaction depends on the curvature of the surface and the walk-off, and it can be employed for efficient routing and control of the soliton trajectories. We also observe a large-angle total internal reflection of the soliton beam from an interface between liquid crystal and air.

Keywords: spatial solitons; modulational instability; light valves; nonlocality; beams

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