EFFECT OF COUPLING FLUCTUATIONS ON CW SWITCHING IN SYMMETRICAL NONLINEAR-OPTICAL COUPLERS

We analyse the influence of coupling strength random fluctuations on s tatic and dynamical switching in the cw regime in the nonlinear direct ional coupler. The effect is found to be appreciable exactly near the switching spots, while far from them it is negligible. In the dynamica l switching regime, for coupler lengths above pi/2 and with input powe rs at or slightly below the switching threshold, the effect of random fluctuations steadily and periodically enhances as the length of the n onlinear coupler increases. For input powers above the switching thres hold, the effect is generally very weak and increases with the coupler length at a much slower rate.