We introduce a novel class of spatially localized self-trapped ringlike singular optical beams in nonlinear media, the so-called azimuthons, which appear due to a continuous azimuthal deformation of vortex solitons. We demonstrate that the azimuthons are characterized by two independent integer indices, the topological charge $m$ and the number $N$ of the intensity peaks along the ring. Each soliton family includes azimuthons with negative, positive, and zero angular velocity.

• Received 1 June 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.203904