Hamiltonian and Phase-Space Representation of Spatial Solitons

Abstract

We use Hamiltonian ray tracing and phase-space representation to describe the propagation of a single spatial soliton and soliton collisions in a Kerr nonlinear medium. Hamiltonian ray tracing is applied using the iterative nonlinear beam propagation method, which allows taking both wave effects and Kerr nonlinearity into consideration. Energy evolution within a single spatial soliton and the exchange of energy when two solitons collide are interpreted intuitively by ray trajectories and geometrical shearing of the Wigner distribution functions.