Locking and merging of cavity solitons

Cavity Solitons (CS) are ideal candidates for the implementation of information processes such as delay lines and optical memories in broad area optoelectronic devices. We investigate here the locking and merging properties of CS in a nonlinear Kerr cavity when the holding beam displays a spatially modulated phase. In this communication we induce motion of the Kerr CS by using triangular modulations of the phase of the holding beam. CS travel up the phase gradients until they reach a maximum or a phase discontinuity. CS are written by sharp, short and localized variations of the holding beam amplitude close to the transverse boundaries on each side of the peak. They then move towards the centre of the transverse domain. We will discuss applications of merged and locked CS in optical information processing.