Optical pulse propagation in fibers with random dispersion

The propagation of optical pulses in two types of fibers with randomly varying dispersion is investigated. The first type refers to a uniform fiber dispersion superimposed by random modulations with a zero mean. The second type is the dispersion-managed fiber line with fluctuating parameters of the dispersion map. Application of the mean field method leads to the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation (NLSE) with a dissipation term, expressed by a 4th order derivative of the wave envelope. The prediction of the mean field approach regarding the decay rate of a soliton is compared with that of the perturbation theory based on the Inverse Scattering Transform (IST). A good agreement between these two approaches is found. Possible ways of compensation of the radiative decay of solitons using the linear and nonlinear amplification are explored. Corresponding mean field equation coincides with the complex Swift-Hohenberg equation. The condition for the autosolitonic regime in propagation of optical pulses along a fiber line with fluctuating dispersion is derived and the existence of autosoliton (dissipative soliton) is confirmed by direct numerical simulation of the stochastic NLSE. The dynamics of solitons in optical communication systems with random dispersion-management is further studied applying the variational principle to the mean field NLSE, which results in a system of ODE's for soliton parameters. Extensive numerical simulations of the stochastic NLSE, mean field equation and corresponding set of ODE's are performed to verify the predictions of the developed theory.Comment: 17 pages, 7 eps figure

Stable two-dimensional dispersion-managed soliton

The existence of a dispersion-managed soliton in two-dimensional nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation with periodically varying dispersion has been explored. The averaged equations for the soliton width and chirp are obtained which successfully describe the long time evolution of the soliton. The slow dynamics of the soliton around the fixed points for the width and chirp are investigated and the corresponding frequencies are calculated. Analytical predictions are confirmed by direct PDE and ODE simulations. Application to a Bose-Einstein condensate in optical lattice is discussed. The existence of a dispersion-managed matter-wave soliton in such system is shown.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Formation of soliton trains in Bose-Einstein condensates as a nonlinear Fresnel diffraction of matter waves

The problem of generation of atomic soliton trains in elongated Bose-Einstein condensates is considered in framework of Whitham theory of modulations of nonlinear waves. Complete analytical solution is presented for the case when the initial density distribution has sharp enough boundaries. In this case the process of soliton train formation can be viewed as a nonlinear Fresnel diffraction of matter waves. Theoretical predictions are compared with results of numerical simulations of one- and three-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation and with experimental data on formation of Bose-Einstein bright solitons in cigar-shaped traps.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Modulational instability of matter waves under strong nonlinearity management

We study modulational instability of matter-waves in Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) under strong temporal nonlinearity-management. Both BEC in an optical lattice and homogeneous BEC are considered in the framework of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, averaged over rapid time modulations. For a BEC in an optical lattice, it is shown that the loop formed on a dispersion curve undergoes transformation due to the nonlinearity-management. A critical strength for the nonlinearity-management strength is obtained that changes the character of instability of an attractive condensate. MI is shown to occur below(above) the threshold for the positive (negative) effective mass. The enhancement of number of atoms in the nonlinearity-managed gap soliton is revealed

Quasi 1D Bose-Einstein condensate flow past a nonlinear barrier

The problem of a quasi 1D {\it repulsive} BEC flow past through a nonlinear barrier is investigated. Two types of nonlinear barriers are considered, wide and short range ones. Steady state solutions for the BEC moving through a wide repulsive barrier and critical velocities have been found using hydrodynamical approach to the 1D Gross-Pitaevskii equation. It is shown that in contrast to the linear barrier case, for a wide {\it nonlinear} barrier an interval of velocities $0 < v < v_-$ {\it always} exists, where the flow is superfluid regardless of the barrier potential strength. For the case of the $\delta$ function-like barrier, below a critical velocity two steady solutions exist, stable and unstable one. An unstable solution is shown to decay into a gray soliton moving upstream and a stable solution. The decay is accompanied by a dispersive shock wave propagating downstream in front of the barrier.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, extended abstract, revised arguments in Sects 2,3 results unchanged, added reference

Controlling collapse in Bose-Einstein condensates by temporal modulation of the scattering length

We consider, by means of the variational approximation (VA) and direct numerical simulations of the Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) equation, the dynamics of 2D and 3D condensates with a scattering length containing constant and harmonically varying parts, which can be achieved with an ac magnetic field tuned to the Feshbach resonance. For a rapid time modulation, we develop an approach based on the direct averaging of the GP equation,without using the VA. In the 2D case, both VA and direct simulations, as well as the averaging method, reveal the existence of stable self-confined condensates without an external trap, in agreement with qualitatively similar results recently reported for spatial solitons in nonlinear optics. In the 3D case, the VA again predicts the existence of a stable self-confined condensate without a trap. In this case, direct simulations demonstrate that the stability is limited in time, eventually switching into collapse, even though the constant part of the scattering length is positive (but not too large). Thus a spatially uniform ac magnetic field, resonantly tuned to control the scattering length, may play the role of an effective trap confining the condensate, and sometimes causing its collapse.Comment: 7 figure

Stability analysis of the D-dimensional nonlinear Schroedinger equation with trap and two- and three-body interactions

Considering the static solutions of the D-dimensional nonlinear Schroedinger equation with trap and attractive two-body interactions, the existence of stable solutions is limited to a maximum critical number of particles, when D is greater or equal 2. In case D=2, we compare the variational approach with the exact numerical calculations. We show that, the addition of a positive three-body interaction allows stable solutions beyond the critical number. In this case, we also introduce a dynamical analysis of the conditions for the collapse.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figure

Interaction of pulses in nonlinear Schroedinger model

The interaction of two rectangular pulses in nonlinear Schroedinger model is studied by solving the appropriate Zakharov-Shabat system. It is shown that two real pulses may result in appearance of moving solitons. Different limiting cases, such as a single pulse with a phase jump, a single chirped pulse, in-phase and out-of-phase pulses, and pulses with frequency separation, are analyzed. The thresholds of creation of new solitons and multi-soliton states are found.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures. Accepted to Phys. Rev. E, 200

A fundamental limit for integrated atom optics with Bose-Einstein condensates

The dynamical response of an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate manipulated by an integrated atom optics device such as a microtrap or a microfabricated waveguide is studied. We show that when the miniaturization of the device enforces a sufficiently high condensate density, three-body interactions lead to a spatial modulational instability that results in a fundamental limit on the coherent manipulation of Bose-Einstein condensates.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure