Abstract

Arrays of passive or active linear coupled waveguides may be employed for several device applications, for example directional coupling between the two outermost guides [1]. With nonlinear waveguides, the switching or routing characteristics of a coupler may be optically tuned by the input power of the beams, which may permit ultrafast all-optical processing [2-3]. The dynamics of nonlinear coupling of light in waveguide arrays may be described by means of coupled mode theory, which leads to a set of coupled nonlinear differential equations [3-4], Similar to the continuous case, the balance between linear transverse coupling and nonlinear mismatch between the guides leads to the stable propagation of discrete self- trapped (DST) soliton beams [4-5].

© 1994 Optical Society of America