A new class of 1D discrete nonlinear Schro¨dinger Hamiltonians
with tunable nonlinerities is introduced, which includes the integrable
Ablowitz-Ladik system as a limit. A new subset of equations, which are derived
from these Hamiltonians using a generalized definition of Poisson brackets, and
collectively refered to as the N-AL equation, is studied. The symmetry
properties of the equation are discussed. These equations are shown to possess
propagating localized solutions, having the continuous translational symmetry
of the one-soliton solution of the Ablowitz-Ladik nonlinear
Schro¨dinger equation. The N-AL systems are shown to be suitable
to study the combined effect of the dynamical imbalance of nonlinearity and
dispersion and the Peierls-Nabarro potential, arising from the lattice
discreteness, on the propagating solitary wave like profiles. A perturbative
analysis shows that the N-AL systems can have discrete breather solutions, due
to the presence of saddle center bifurcations in phase portraits. The
unstaggered localized states are shown to have positive effective mass. On the
other hand, large width but small amplitude staggered localized states have
negative effective mass. The collison dynamics of two colliding solitary wave
profiles are studied numerically. Notwithstanding colliding solitary wave
profiles are seen to exhibit nontrivial nonsolitonic interactions, certain
universal features are observed in the collison dynamics. Future scopes of this
work and possible applications of the N-AL systems are discussed.Comment: 17 pages, 15 figures, revtex4, xmgr, gn