Abstract: Changes in optical properties of layered materials are measured by directing an incident wave of finite transverse dimensions toward layered materials under conditions that will produce a propagating surface mode or a waveguide mode in the layered materials. The intensity distribution is measured within the transverse beam profile of the total reflected beam. The profile shows asymmetric structure associated with the excitation of the propagating surface mode or a wave-guide mode. The index of refraction of the layered materials is modified and the reshaped intensity distribution within the transverse beam profile of the total reflected beam is again measured under the same incidence conditions. The measured intensity distributions are compared to detect differences in the indexes of refraction in the layered materials.

Abstract: Planar waveguide devices are described which function as elements of a soliton transmission communications system operating at a selected central wavelength. These devices have at least one optical channel waveguide whose core has a refractive index and dielectric constant with a dependence on the optical signal intensity which can balance a negative dispersion in the waveguide at dimensions compatible with monomode transmission of the selected central wavelength. It is a property of such a waveguide that if the input is an optical soliton, the output will also be a soliton. Such circuits are useful at the input and output of a soliton transmitting fiber as part of a high bit-rate (broadband) communications system.

Abstract: A planar waveguide device is described which can function as either a switching or power dividing element of a soliton transmission communication system operating at a selected central wavelength. The device has one input and two outputs and consists of two optical channel waveguides, in a coupler-like configuration, each of whose cores has a refractive index and dielectric constant with a dependence on the optical signal intensity which can balance a negative dispersion in the waveguide at dimensions compatible with monomode transmission of the selected central wavelength. It is a property of such waveguides that if the input to one channel waveguide is a temporal optical soliton, the output will also be a temporal soliton, and the output waveguide, or waveguides, from which it exits the device as well as the power of the switched or power divided signal at each output will be dependent upon the input soliton peak power.