Spatial solitons in an optically pumped semiconductor microresonator

We show experimentally and numerically the existence of stable spatial solitons in an optically pumped semiconductor microresonator. We demonstrate that the pump substantially reduces the light intensity necessary to sustain the solitons and thereby reduces destabilizing thermal effects. We demonstrate coherent switching on and off of bright solitons. We discuss differences between pumped and unpumped below bandgap-solitons.