Solitons for optical time-domain reflectometry

We describe the propagation of solitons in an optical time-domain reflectometry geometry. Intense nonsolitons usually broaden nonlinearly as they propagate out to a scatterer and broaden linearly as they return to their origin. In contrast, solitons propagate with a fixed pulse width or narrow on their way out to the scatterer. Returning, they broaden or narrow depending on their chirp at the scattering point. For a fixed return-pulse timing resolution we find 2.6 times or more energy can be launched when solitons are used than for normal dispersion pulses. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America