A novel approach to solving the nonlinear Schrodinger equation by the coupled amplitude-phase formulation

A novel approach for solving the nonlinear Schrodinger equation (NLSE) analytically is presented in this paper. Fundamental soliton solutions have been obtained for both anomalous dispersion regimes (β₂<0) and normal dispersion regimes (β₂ >0) without using inverse scattering or the Backlund transform. By considering the amplitude and the phase of the complex solution separately, a set of amplitude-phase coupled nonlinear equations is derived from the NLSE. The characteristic equation satisfied by the envelope amplitude is obtained for the fundamental soliton and soliton-modulated wave. The conditions to be satisfied by the phase propagation constant and soliton power give rise to useful criteria for the design of optical soliton communication systems. Numerical simulations agree well with theoretical results