Ultrashort optical solitons in transparent nonlinear media with arbitrary dispersion

Abstract

We consider the propagation of ultrashort optical pulses in nonlinear fibers and suggest a new theoretical framework for the description of pulse dynamics and exact characterization of solitary solutions. Our approach deals with a proper complex generalization of the nonlinear Maxwell equations and completely avoids the use of the slowly varying envelope approximation. The only essential restriction is that fiber dispersion does not favor both the so-called Cherenkov radiation, as well as the resonant generation of the third harmonics, as these effects destroy ultrashort solitons. Assuming that it is not the case, we derive a continuous family of solitary solutions connecting fundamental solitons to nearly single-cycle ultrashort ones for arbitrary anomalous dispersion and cubic nonlinearity.