Pulse propagation methods in nonlinear optics

TL;DR

This paper reviews various pulse propagation methods in nonlinear optics, comparing full-field and envelope approaches, highlighting the advantages of directional field methods over traditional envelope techniques.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive comparison of pulse propagation methods, emphasizing the computational and conceptual benefits of directional field approaches over traditional envelope methods.

Findings

Directional field methods offer significant advantages over traditional envelope methods.

Maxwell's equations based simulations are the most general approach.

Envelope methods based on forward-only directional fields are now considered redundant.

Abstract

I present an overview of pulse propagation methods used in nonlinear optics, covering both full-field and envelope-and-carrier methods. Both wideband and narrowband cases are discussed. Three basic forms are considered -- those based on (a) Maxwell's equations, (b) directional fields, and (c) the second order wave equation. While Maxwell's equations simulators are the most general, directional field methods can give significant computational and conceptual advantages. Factorizations of the second order wave equation complete the set by being the simplest to understand. One important conclusion is that that envelope methods based on forward-only directional field propagation has made the traditional envelope methods (such as the SVEA, and extensions) based on the second order wave equation utterly redundant.