Pulse evolution in nonlinear optical fibers with sliding-frequency filters.

The effect of fiber loss, amplification, and sliding-frequency filters on the evolution of optical pulses in nonlinear optical fibers is considered, this evolution being governed by a perturbed nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation. Approximate ordinary differential equations (ODE's) governing the pulse evolution are obtained using conservation and moment equations for the perturbed NLS equation together with a trial function incorporating a solitonlike pulse with independently varying amplitude and width. In addition, the trial function incorporates the interaction between the pulse and the dispersive radiation shed as the pulse evolves. This interaction must be included in order to obtain approximate ODE's whose solutions are in good agreement with full numerical solutions of the governing perturbed NLS equation. The solutions of the approximate ODE's are compared with full numerical solutions of the perturbed NLS equation and very good agreement is found.