There is currently a high level of interest in the field of nonlinear
guided wave optics with the availability of nonlinear materials and
their use in new areas of application. This is particularly the case for
solitons and other types of nonlinear pulses in optical fibers, high
capacity dispersion-free communications. Further, soliton-like beams in
highly nonlinear materials, such as organic polymers, are being studied
with a view to using them for fast-switching purposes in devices where
the light creates its own guiding channel.
Written by two authors who are at the forefront of this research,
Solitons provides a thorough treatment of the applications of
switching devices. It presents the results of the most up to date
research on the subject in an accessible manner and adopts a unified
approach to solitons in fibers and the devices which use them. The book
is an essential reference work for both professional engineers working
in optoelectronics and telecommunications companies and graduate
students and researchers in the area.