Abstract

When light is coupled into a waveguide which is part of an array of coupled waveguides, it spreads as it propagates to more and more waveguides. This phenomenon is a discrete analogue of diffraction in a plane. It has been proposed that, in analogy with spatial solitons, discrete spatial solitons can be formed in infinite nonlinear waveguide arrays [1]. Changing the refractive index through the Kerr-effect results in localization of the light in just a few guides around the input waveguide at high power. This discrete soliton propagates in the array without changing its power distribution.

© 1998 IEEE