Abstract

This paper discusses the dynamics of a light pulse propagating through a dispersionless optical fiber exhibiting self-phase modulation, both classically and quantum mechanically. The classical approach is via the Liouville equation and its eigenvalue spectrum. In contrast to Milbum^[1] the quantum dynamics is studied by solution of the Neumann equation in the Wigner representation. This representation defines a quantum mechanical Liouville operator for the Wigner distribution. The classical Liouville equation has a continuous eigenvalue spectrum, whereas the quantum mechanical Neumann equation has a discrete eigenvalue spectrum. The consequence is the existence of periodic revivals in the quantum problem not found in the classical Liouville problem.

© 1992 IQEC