Gap solitons in the nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation with an optical lattice

We predict the existence of gap solitons in the nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation (NLFSE) with an imprinted optically harmonic lattice. Symmetric/antisymmetric nonlinear localized modes bifurcate from the lower/upper edge of the first/second band in defocusing/focusing Kerr media. A unique feature we revealed is that, in focusing Kerr media, stable solitons appear in the finite bandgaps with the decrease of the Lévy index, which is in sharp contrast to the standard NLSE with a focusing nonlinearity. Nonlinear bound states composed by in-phase and out-of-phase soliton units supported by the NLFSE are also uncovered. Our work may pave the way for the study of spatial lattice solitons in fractional dimensions.