Experimental observation of interaction forces between solitons in optical fibers.
Pairs of soliton pulses are sent through a fiber, and the pulse separation at fiber input and output are compared. Both attractive and repulsive forces are observed. Close quantitative agreement with prediction is achieved, except when the pulses begin to merge. Then the attractive force becomes repulsive as the result of phase shifts triggered by the soliton self-frequency shift.
Mitschke
F M
FM
Mollenauer
L F
LF