Simulations of pulse propagation in optical fibers using graphics processor units

Abstract

Several simple cases of pulse propagation in optical fibers have been simulated using a graphics processor unit. Comparisons with simulations in a computer processor unit are also reported. Speedups from 4 to 36 have been obtained by different numerical methods, reaching a similar accuracy both in computer processor unit and in graphics processor unit, working with double-precision floating point numbers. Best results are achieved in simulations when the number of points in t grid rises. Therefore, the results indicate that graphics processor units could be a good tool to improve numerical simulations of pulse propagation in fibers.