Variational approach to optical pulse propagation in dispersion compensated transmission systems

Within the area of optical pulse propagation in long-haul transmission systems various designs for dispersion compensation are investigated. On the basis of variational procedures with collective coordinates, a very effective method is presented which allows to determine quite accurately the possible operation points. We have obtained an analytical formula for the soliton power enhancement. This analytical expression is in good agreement with numerical results, in the (practical) limit when residual dispersion and nonlinearity only slightly affect the pulse dynamics over one compensation period. The procedure is suitable to analyze the proper design of dispersion compensating elements. The results allow also to describe the shape of the dispersion-managed soliton. We discuss also a qualitative physical explanation of the possibility to transmit a soliton at zero or normal average dispersion. Analytical predictions are confirmed by direct numerical simulations.