Inelastic vector soliton collisions: a lattice-based quantum representation.

Lattice-based quantum algorithms are developed for vector soliton collisions in the completely integrable Manakov equations, a system of coupled nonlinear Schrödinger (coupled-NLS) equations that describe the propagation of pulses in a birefringent fibre of unity cross-phase modulation factor. Under appropriate conditions the exact 2-soliton vector solutions yield inelastic soliton collisions, in agreement with the theoretical predictions of Radhakrishnan et al. (1997 Phys. Rev. E56, 2213). For linearly birefringent fibres, quasi-elastic solitary-wave collisions are obtained with emission of radiation. In a coupled integrable turbulent NLS system, soliton turbulence is found with mode intensity spectrum scaling as kappa(-6). Copyright 2004 The Royal Society