Control of Optical Soliton Interactions

Abstract We review the theory of optical (temporal and spatial) solitons in nonlinear optical fibers and waveguides and we apply the results to analyze the process of soliton interaction. We show that several approaches with different degrees of complexity may be employed in order to describe the multiple soliton dynamics. We derive and apply the basic formulae to a variety of situations that hold a potential interest in future long distance fiber transmission systems, fiber laser sources, and waveguide all-optical processing devices.