Optical soliton dynamics in spectral inhomogeneous waveguides

The effects of wide-band smooth (global) and narrow-band abrupt (local) spectral inhomogeneities on the soliton dynamics in passive and active fibers are investigated. Soliton spectral tunneling effect (SSTE) is predicted and investigated. The SSTE consists in 'infiltration' of a femtosecond soliton spectrum through a potential barrier-like spectral inhomogeneity of group velocity dispersion (GVD) including the forbidden band of positive GVD. As was mentioned, of importance is the possibility of using spectral inhomogeneities of the dispersion parameters in order to suppress the Raman self-frequency shift of femtosecond solitons. Spectral perturbation method of soliton theory is developed.