Analogue of Rashba pseudo-spin-orbit coupling in photonic lattices by gauge field engineering

We present, theoretically and experimentally, the observation of the Rashba effect in photonic lattices, where the effect is brought about by an artificial gauge field, induced by the geometry of the system. In doing that, we demonstrate a particular form of coupling between pseudospin and momentum, resulting in spin-dependent shifts in the spectrum. Our system consists of two coupled, oppositely tilted waveguide arrays, where the evolution of an optical beam allows for probing the dynamics of the evolving wave packets, and the formation of spectral splitting. We show that the Rashba effect can be amplified or decreased through optical nonlinear effects, which correspond to mean-field interactions in various systems such as cold-atom lattices and exciton-polariton condensates.