Statistical theory for incoherent light propagation in nonlinear media

2001/04/30 by B. Hall, M. Lisak, D. Anderson +2 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Fiber Laser Technologies #Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications #Nonlinear Photonic Systems #nlin.PS

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreve.65.035602

4 pages, REVTeX4. Submitted to Physical Review E. Revised manuscript

arxiv created 2001/11/21 · openalex publication_date 2002/02/27 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

A statistical approach based on the Wigner transform is proposed for the description of partially incoherent optical wave dynamics in nonlinear media. An evolution equation for the Wigner transform is derived from a nonlinear Schrödinger equation with arbitrary nonlinearity. It is shown that random phase fluctuations of an incoherent plane wave lead to a Landau-like damping effect, which can stabilize the modulational instability. In the limit of the geometrical optics approximation, incoherent, localized, and stationary wave fields are shown to exist for a wide class of nonlinear media.

Citations

• Coherent and Incoherent Contributions to Multisoliton Complexes
• Quantum mechanics as a statistical theory
• On the Quantum Correction For Thermodynamic Equilibrium

Cited by

• Statistical Approach of Modulational Instability in the Class of Derivative Nonlinear Schrödinger Equations