第 28 卷第 7 期 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 光　子　学　报　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 V o 1. 28 N o .

1999 年 7 月　 　　 　　 　　 　　 　 ACT A PH OT ONICA SINICA 　　　 　　　　　　 July 1999　

SIMPLIFIED SOLUTION OF NONLINEAR OPTICAL

DIRECTIONAL COUPLER
Wang Yo uf a
D ep ar tment of Electronic Engineer ing , Shanghai M ar itime U niver sity , S hang hai 200135
Wang Zihua
W av e S cience L abor atory , Shanghai U nivers ity , J iad ing, Shanghai 201800

Abstract 　 T he sim plif ied analy t ic solut io ns f or the nonlinear opt ical directional coupl ers have been
derived in arbit rary input conditions. Based on t he solut io ns, t he operating point s o f NL DC i. e. input
co ndit ions for sw itching , mo dulation and ampl if icat ion ( almo st all applicat io ns ) can be determined
easily and analy t ically. A new appl icatio n of t he nonlinear direct ional coupler t hat t he phase o f t he
int ense light w ave can be adjust ed by t he pow er of t he w eak lig htw ave has been invest igat ed
t heoret ically .
Keywords　Optical w aveguide; Nonlinear direct ional coupler; Nonlinear optics

0　Introduction
　 　 T he po t ent ial application of t he nonlinear
optical dir ect io nal coupler ( NL DC) t o all -o pt ical
sig nal processing , opt ical comm unicat ions and
optical com puting has st imulat ed a g reat deal of
research. In the past few years many new
1～3
int erest ing all -opt ical devices have been
pr opo sed based on t he NL DC , and t he ult raf ast
all-opt ical sw it ching has been demonst rat ed
exper im ent ally by using t he NLDC and t he
4, 5
cascaded nonlinear couplers .
6
Jensen first presented t he t heoret ical
analy sis of t he NL DC, t her e the exact solut ions
t o t he nonlinear coupling wav e equat ions
( NL CW E ) w it h single-input ex cit at io n were
pr esent ed . L at er , NL DC has been show n to have
bif urcat ion and unst abilit y charact erist ics by
ext ending t he St okes parameters for malism in
7 8
so lving t he NL CWE . Y Chen et al examined t he
NL DCS w ith g ain and loss by using t he
num erical method. A T Pham, et al
9, 10
discussed
all possible operating m odes of NL DC and
arbit rary pow er input co nditions by using
analy tical and graphical m et hods. How ev er , t heir
so lut ions are t oo com plicated .
In this paper , by normalizing a po w er w ith
t he crit ical pow er , t he g overning equat ion for t he
po w er in waveg uide 1 of NLDC has been
sim plif ied . T hen t he solut io ns of NL CW E in a
much simpler f orm hav e been obt ained. Based on
our solut io ns, oper at ing points f or unstable and
bif urcat ion charact erist ic can be determined
easily and analy tical ly, w hich is useful f or t he
analy zing and desig ning NL DC dev ices of
sw it ching , m odulat ion and ampl if icat ion. A new
applicat ion of t he no nlinear direct ional coupler
t hat t he phase of t he int ense l ig ht w ave can be
adjust ed by a pow er of a w eak light w av e has
been inv est ig ated t heor et ically .
1 　 Formulation of NLDC with
Normalized Power
In t he case of weak no nlinear it y , i . e . t he

Receiv ed date: 1999- 05- 10

 　　
618 光　子　学　报 28 卷

2 2
nonl inear ef fect does no t remarkably aff ect t he ( dP 1 / dZ) = - 4[ P 1- P 1P t + A 1/ 8]
2
t ransverse dist ribut ion o f optical f iel ds , t he [ P 1 - P 2 P t + A 2 / 8] ( 11)
co upling w ave equat io ns f or t he slo wl y varying A 1, 2= 1- ± 1- 2 ( 12)
mode am plit udes a and a′o f t he t w o ident ical w here P t = P 1+ P 2 is t he t ot al pow er, A 1 ≥A 2≥0
6, 9
lossless w aveguides can be expressed as and ≤1/ 2.
- ida/ dz = a + Ca′+ Q 3 a 2a ( 1)
- ida′
/ dz = + Ca+ Q 3 a′ a′
a′
2
( 2) 2　The exact solutions
w here a and a′indicat e t he complex am plit udes Eq. ( 11) is anal yt ically int egrable in term s
of m odes in wav eg uide 1 and 2, respectively . C of ellipt ic int eg rals . Since P 1 and P 2 are r eal, t he
and Q3 st and for t he l inear coupling coeff icient NL DC has t w o kinds o f o perat ing modes : mo de 1
and t he no nlinear self-coupling coef f icient , co rresponds t o 2P t2> A 1 and m ode 2 corr esponds
9
respect iv ely , defined as Eqs. ( 2) and ( 3) in Ref . 2
t o A 2 ≤2P t ≤ A 1.
T o analy ze Eqs. ( 1 ) and ( 2) , w e make t he 2. 1　Type 1 operation 2 Pt > A1
2

fo llow ing substit utions : In t his case , Eq. ( 11) can be rewr it t en as
a= P c A ex p( i z + i ( z ) ) ( 3) ( dP 1 / dZ ) 2 = 4[ ( P 1- P t / 2) 2 - a 20]
2 2
・[ b0 - ( P 1 - P t / 2) ] ( 13)
=
a′ P cA ′
ex p( i z + i ′
(z)) ( 4)
w ith
w here P c = 4C/ Q 3 is t he critical po w er defined by
- 1
6
Jensen . A , A ′
, and ′ar e real f unct ions of z . a0 = 2 P 2t - A 1/ 2 , b 0 = 2- 1 P 2t- A 2 / 2
Subst it ut ing Eqs. ( 3) and ( 4) int o Eqs. ( 1) ( 14)
and ( 2) gives fo ur real equat io ns fo r t he f our Int egrat ing Eq. ( 13) , yields
- 1 - 1
unknow ns and a co nser vatio n quant ity . P 1 ( Z ) = P t / 2+ b0 dn [ dn ( ( P 1( 0) - 2 P t ) /
dP 1( Z) / dZ = A ( Z ) A ′
( Z ) sin ( Z ) ( 5) b0 , k) ±2b 0Z, k] 　( P 1( 0) > P t / 2)
dP 2( Z) / dZ= - A ( Z) A ′
( Z) sin ( Z) ( 6) ( 15a )
- 1 - 1
[ d ( Z) / dZ] A A ′ - 1
= 2 ( P 2 - P 1) cos P 1( Z ) = P t / 2- b0 dn [ dn ( ( 2 P 1- P 1 ( 0) ) /
+ 2( P 1 - P 2) A A ′ ( 7) b0 , k) ±2b 0Z, k] 　( P 1( 0) < P t / 2)
- 1 2
[ d ( Z) / dZ ] A = 2 A ′
cos ( Z ) + 2 A A ( 15b)
( 8)
k= 1- a20 / b20 ( 16)
= 4A ( Z) A ′
( Z) cos ( Z) - 8P 1( Z) P 2 ( Z)
Wher e dn( ) is the Jacobi ellipt ic f unct ion w it h a
( 9)
period o f 2K ( k) , and
Wher e Z = 2Cz , P 1 and P 2 are t he nor malized ( t o 1

cr it ical po wer P c ) o pt ical pow ers in w aveguides

2
∫
K ( k) = [ ( 1- x 2 ) ( 1- k 2x 2) ] - 1/ 2 dx
0
( 17)
1 and 2, respectiv ely . P 1 = A ( Z ) and P 2 ( Z ) = - 1
′
2
k is t he mo dulus of ellipt ic f unctio n dn ( ) . dn ( )
A ( Z). ( Z ) = ( Z) - ′ ( Z ) is t he phase
is t he inverse ellipt ic f unction . F ollo wing t he
dif ference bet w een t he t w o beam s. is a
def init io n of the Jacobi elliptic f unction, w e
co nser vation quant it y of the nonlinear coupling
6, 9
def ine t he codomain o f dn- 1 ( ) t o be[ 0, K ] , and
sy st ems and can be determ ined by init ial input
in this r eg ion ellipt ic f unct ion dn ( )
as
mo not onously decreases. Using Eqs. ( 9 ) and
= 4 P 1( 0) P 2 ( 0) cos ( 0) - 8P 1( 0) P 2 ( 0) ( 12) , we f ind t hat P 1 ( 0) can not equal t o P t / 2
2
( 10) w hen 2P t > A 1.
Fr om Eqs. ( 5 ) - ( 9 ) , we can obt ain t he In Eq. ( 15 ) , t he arg um ent 2b 0Z of t he
dif ferent ial equat ion for t he pow er in w aveguide ellipt ic funct ion t akes neg at iv e sig n in Eq. ( 15a)
1: andpo sit ivesigninEq . ( 15 b ) if A ( 0) A ′( 0) sin ( 0)
7 期　　　　　　 Wang Yo ufa, et al . Simplified so lution of N onlinear optical directional co upler 619

> 0, and po sit iv e sign in Eq. ( 15a) and neg at ive variat io n o f t he perio d ( 2 K ( k ) f or dn ( x ) or
sig n in Eq. ( 15b ) if A ( 0) A ′( 0) sin ( 0) < 0. 4K ( k ) f or cn ( x ) ) near the crit ical point .
- 1
Since dn ( ) ≤ K , and dn ( ) is a monot onous Fr om Eq. ( 17) , t he complete ellipt ic int eg ral
decr easing f unct ion in t he region o f [ 0, K ] . K ( k ) as a f unct ion of t he modulus k w as
At a glance of Eq. ( 15) w e can dir ect ly calcul at ed and show n in F ig . 1. We can see t hat
est imat e t hat t he no nlinear coupling is periodic t he t iny chang e of k leads t o remarkable change
and t he coupling period depends o n the init ial of t he complet e elliptic int eg ral w hen k
input po wer and t he phase dif ference bet w een approaches t o 1. T hat is t o say, the per io d of t he
t he t w o coupling period depends on t he init ial ellipt ic funct ion is very sensit iv e t o k w hen k
input po wer and t he phase dif ference bet w een approaches t o 1. T her ef ore, a small change in t he
t he t w o beam s. We can also see t hat t he pow er in input of the NL DC w ill lead to remarkable
w aveguide 1 is alw ays l ar ger t han P t / 2 if P 1 ( 0) variat io n o f it s out put for a g iv en co upling leng th
> P t / 2, because dn ( x , k ) ≥ 2
1- k . T his is t he w hen k → 1. In ot her w ords, t he NL DC is
major diff erence bet ween linear and nonlinear unstable w hen k→1.
direct ional couplers. Ho wever, so lut ion of Ref . 9
has not t hese adv ant ages and Eq. ( 15) is sim pler
in fo rm than Eq. ( 34) of Ref . 9.
2
2. 2　Type 2 operati on A2≤2Pt ≤A1
In t his case , Eq. ( 11) can be rewr it t en as
( dP 1 / dZ ) 2 = 4[ b20 - ( P 1- P t / 2) 2 ]
2 2
・[ a0 + ( P 1- P t / 2) ] ( 18)
Its solut io n is
- 1 - 1
P 1 ( Z) = P t / 2+ b 0cn[ cn ( ( P 1 ( 0) - 2 P t ) /

b 0, k ) ±2 a 20+ b20 Z , k ] ( 19)

k= b 20/ ( a 20+ b20 ) ( 20) Fig . 1　Co mplete ellipt ic integr al K ( k) a s

Wher e cn( ) is t he Jaco bi el lipt ic funct ion w it h a a functio n o f the mo dulus k
- 1
period of 4K ( k) , cn ( ) is t he inverse f unction When A 2 < 2P 2t ≤A 1, f rom Eq. ( 20) w e hav e
of cn( ) w it h a codo main of [ 0, 2K ] .
k= ( P 2t- A 2/ 2) / 1- 2 ( 21)
2 2
In Eq. ( 19) , t he arg um ent 2 a + b Z of
0 0 We m ay t hink t he NLDC is unst able when ( 1 - )
t he ellipt ic f unction t akes negat iv e sign if ≤ k ≤1 ( w here 1) . F rom Eq. ( 12) we have
A ( 0) A ′
( 0) sin ( 0) > 0, and posit iv e signs if A ( 0) t he condit ions for t he unst abilit y of t he NL DC.
- 1
A′
( 0) sin ( 0) < 0. Since cn ( ) < 2K , and cn ( )
[ 1- + 1- 2 ] / 2≥P t ≥
monot onously decreases in the regio n[ 0, 2K ] .
2
[ 1- + [ 2( 1- ) - 1] 1- 2 ] / 2 ( 22)
3　Applications 2
w hen 2P > A 1, w e have
t

3. 1　Determination of unstable operation points

[ 1- + 1- 2 ] / 2≤P t ≤
M any usef ul and int erest ing f unct io ns can
be perfo rmed w it h t he NL DC by t aking [ 1- + [ 2( 1- ) - 2- 1] 1- 2 ] / 2 ( 23)
advant age of the unstable equilibrum and T he inequalit ies ( 22 ) and ( 23 ) define t he
bif urcat ion charact erist ic of t he syst em . In v iew unstable operat ing reg ions f or t he NL DC. When
of our sol ut ions, t he orig in of t his f eat ur e lies on = 1, t he unst able operat ing region fo r t he
t he periodic pow er evolut io n and dramat ic NL DC is t he r eg ion bet w een t he t w o dashed-
 　　
620 光　子　学　报 28 卷

lines in F ig. 2. Obv io usly, t he nearer t he
oper at ing point to t he solid line in F ig . 2, t he
mor e sensit ive t he out put of t he NL DC t o t he
input. We can see t hat near P t = 1 the output of
t he N LDCs is unstable fo r sing le-input co ndition
= 0. T his is w hy most of t he repo rt s on t he
sw it ching applicat io ns o f t he NL DCs hel d t he
pump pow er near t he crit ical pow er. We can also
see t hat t he N LDCs is alw ays stable if P t < 0. 5.
Fig . 2　 P t v s . diagr am . T he unstable o per ating po ints
are show n as solid line , and the nea rly unst able
oper ating po ints for = 0. 1 ar e repr esented as
tw o dashed lines
Fo r mo dulation and pow er cont ro lled
sw it ching dev ices the loci of t he operating point s
can be chosen along vert ical line = const ant
w ith t he po int s on solid line as a cent er. In t he
case of single-input , the loci is on line = 0 and
it s cent er is = 0 and P t = 1. F or phase
co nt rol led sw itching devices , t he loci o f t he
oper at ing point s w ill lie along ho rizont al line
w ith point o n sol id l ine as a center. When k = 1,
bot h Eqs . ( 16) and ( 20) lead t o
= 2, A 2 = 0. Solut ions o f Eqs. ( 15) and ( 19)
6
reduce t o t he well know n ex pression
P 1= 0. 5P t [ 1+ dn( P t Z, 1/ P t ) ] 　　( P t ≥1)
( 26)
P 1= 0. 5P t [ 1+ cn ( Z , P t ) ] 　　( P t ≤1) ( 27)
Subst it ut e Eqs. ( 26) and ( 27) int o Eq. ( 25) , and
int egrat e it , w e have
( Z) = 1. 5P t Z+ 0. 5arcsin( P t sn( P t sn( Z, P t ) )
　　( P t ≤1) ( 28)
( Z ) = 1. 5P t Z + int [ ( P t Z + K ) / 4K ] ・ + 0. 5
ar csin( sn( P t Z, 1/ P t ) ) cn( P t Z, 1/ P t ) > 0
・
- arcsin( sn( P t Z, 1/ P t ) ) cn( P t Z, 1/ P t ) < 0
Pt > 1 ( 29)
w here K is t he complet e elliptic integr al .
T he nonlinear phase ( Z ) of the guided
w ave in w aveguide 1 as a funct ion of t he pow er
can be calculat ed by using Eqs. ( 28) and ( 29) ,
and t he r esult s are show n in Fig . 3, w her e P 10( 0)
and P 11( 0) st ands fo r t he pum p pow er and pro be
lightpow errespect iv ely , andP t = P 10 ( 0) + P 11 ( 0) .
It is clear t hat t he phase of the int ense lig htw ave
can be adjust ed by t he pow er of t he w eak
light w ave. T his interest ing f eat ur e m ay find
useful applicat io n fo r NL DC as a t unable opt ical
phase shift er o r pow er contr olled phase shif t er .

Pt = ( 1- + 1- 2 ) / 2
T he point s sat isfy ing Eq. ( 24 ) are show n as
so lid l ine in Fig . 2, t hey are alw ays chosen as t he
oper at ing point s o f NL DC dev ices.
3. 2　Phase shift i nduced by intensity
Fr om Eq. ( 8) , t he nonl inear phase of t he
guided w ave in w aveg uide 1 can be described as
d ( Z) / dZ= P t + P 1 + / 8P 1
Here we are int erest ed in the phase shif t of t he
int ense light wav e induced by t he w eak lig htw ave
in t he case o f sing le input ex cit atio n = 0 and A 1
( 24)
Fig . 3　T he phase of the intense light beam in wav eguide
1 as a function of the pow er of w eak light beam
4　Conclusion
( 25)
In t his paper , t he simplif ied exact solut ions
t o t he NLCWEs are present ed f or all possible
input condit ions. Reco gnizing t he dif f iculties in
7 期　　　　　　 Wang Yo ufa, et al . Simplified so lution of N onlinear optical directional co upler 621

discov ering new o perat ing r eg imes of the NL DC, pheno meno n of t he nonlinear directional
w e have present ed a simple f orm ul a in co upler : t he phase of the int ense light w av e can
co njunct io n w it h a stability analy sis t o f acilit ate be adjust ed by the pow er of the weak lig htw ave
t he t ask of analyzing t he modulat ion and has been obt ained to o. It needsf urther
sw it ching char act er ist ics of t he devices under inv est ig ation and w ill be our fut ure wo rk .
arbit rary init ial input condit ions . A new

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( 1) : 34～38
3　F r iberg S R, W einer A M , Silberber g Y , Sfez B G, Smith P G . F emot osecond sw it ching in a dual -cor e-fibr e no nlinear
co upler. Opt L ett , 1988, 13( 4) : 904～905
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semiconducto r nonlinear dir ectio na l coupler s at half the ba nd gap. Appl P hys L ett, 1992, 61( 2) : 147～149
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非线性光定向耦合器解的简化表达式
王又法
( 上海海运学院电子工程系, 上海 200135)

王子华
( 上海大学嘉定校区光纤与 现代通信研究所, 上海 201800)
收 稿日期: 1999—05—10

摘　要　本文将非线性定向耦合器在任意输入情况的解进行了简化 . 在本文解的基础上, 非
线性光定向耦合器的工作点, 即其开关、 调制和放大应用( 几乎所有应用) 的输入条件能很容
易地由解析式确定, 并在理论上提出了非线性光定向耦合器一个新的应用: 一束强光的相位
可以由一束弱光的功率加以控制 .
　　关键词　光波导; 非线性光定向耦合器; 非线性光学
　　　　　　　　　　　　 Wang Youfa　 was born in Hubei P rovince in 1967, received B . S . deg ree at
Nanjing Univer sit y of Science and T echnolo gy in 1989, receiv ed M. S. and
Ph . D . degr ee at Shanghai U niversit y in 1992 and 1995. Since 1995, he has
been at Shanghai M arit ime U niv ersity , w here he is current ly an associate
pro fessor. His research int erest s incl ude optical communicat io ns,
int egrat ed o pt ics and radio physics .