Nonparaxial spatial optical solitons in transparent media

Paper present a review of theoretical study and numerical simulations of effects of nonparaxiality on spatial optical solitons in transparent media with various types of optical nonlinearity: Kerr-law and saturating self-focusing non linearities in isotropic media and second-order nonlinearity in anisotropic media. The main features of spatial solitons, including their stability, transient process, and polarization characteristics are found. Conjunctions for formation of 'optical needles' - spatial solitons with sub- wavelength width - are formulated.