Interplay of the pseudo-Raman term and trapping potentials in the nonlinear Schroedinger equation

We introduce a nonlinear Schroedinger equation (NLSE) which combines the pseudo-stimulated-Raman-scattering (pseudo-SRS) term, i.e., a non-conservative cubic one with the first spatial derivative, and an external potential, which helps to stabilize solitons against the pseudo-SRS effect. Dynamics of solitons is addressed by means of analytical and numerical methods. The quasi-particle approximation (QPA) for the solitons demonstrates that the SRS-induced downshift of the soliton’s wavenumber may be compensated by a potential force, producing a stable stationary soliton. Three physically relevant potentials are considered: a harmonic-oscillator (HO) trap, a spatially periodic cosinusoidal potential, and the HO trap subjected to periodic temporal modulation. Both equilibrium positions of trapped pulses (solitons) and their regimes of motion with trapped and free trajectories are accurately predicted by the QPA and corroborated by direct simulations of the underlying NLSE. In the case of the time-modulated HO trap, a parametric resonance is demonstrated, in the form of motion of the driven soliton with an exponentially growing amplitude of oscillations.