The Study of Soliton Propagation in Optical Fibers

Abstract

Abstract: In optical fibres, soliton formation results from a balance between the chirps produced by GVD and SPM, which, when functioning separately, both restrict the system's performance. We will analyse the dispersion-induced pulse broadening and the nonlinear optical effects to understand how such a balance is feasible. During an optical pulse's propagation inside an optical fibre, the GVD broadens it, unless the pulse is first chirped correctly. More precisely, whenever β2 and the chirp parameter C have opposing signs, resulting in β2C being negative, a chirped pulse is compressed at early phases of transmission. SPM causes the optical pulse to chirp so that C > 0. The criterion β2C < 0 can be easily met if β2 < 0. Furthermore, since the SPM-induced chirp is power-dependent, it is conceivable that, under some circumstances, SPM and GVD might work together to the point where the SPM-induced chirp is just the proper amount to cancel out the GVD-induced pulse broadening. In this case, an optical pulse propagates as a soliton with no distortion