Abstract

Nonlinear systems with periodic variations of one or several key parameters present a very important branch of nonlinear science. One of the master models that arise in a range of physical applications is the dispersion-managed (DM) nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Under the combined action of nonlinear effects and periodic variation of dispersion this system supports stable, localized structures, the so-called DM solitons (see e.g. [1] and references therein). The change in sign of the dispersion causes the DM solitons to temporally broaden and recompress or "breath" as they propagate. For a simple two-step dispersion map the DM solitons have been systematically classified in terms of pulse energy, map strength, and average dispersion [1,2]. In this work we extend theory of DM solitons to dissipative systems with the main focus on applications in mode-locked lasers.

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