A unified framework to optimize power discrimination for self-routing switc
hing of solitonlike pulses in multiple-core fiber arrays is presented. This
framework, based on the variational approach, is applicable to all-optical
switching in N-core nonlinear fiber arrays for any configuration of the co
res. By defining a quality factor as the product of the maxima of ail the t
ransmission curves characterizing the switching process in the fiber array,
we show that when linearly varying coupling coefficients are considered im
proved performance can be achieved. By use of the split-step Fourier method
the accuracy of the reduced formulation is ensured. (C) 2000 Optical Socie
ty of America [S0740-3224(00)00107-7].