9703769 Kutz The International Research Fellow Awards Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct three to twenty four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad. This award will support a six-month postdoctoral research visit by Dr. Jose Nathan Kutz to work with Dr. Ping-king Alexander Wai at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Kowloon, Hong Kong. This project will involve the investigation of a broad range of issues concerning nonlinear pulse dynamics in optical fibers which have direct impact on current communication technologies. Specifically, the PI will study dispersion management and NRZ (non-return-to-zero) pulse dynamics, and the dynamics and stability of modelocked fiber lasers. If time permits, he will go on to investigate the area of optical switching. Kutz has studied the propagation of NRZ pulses in dispersion management systems, which is a first step towards the understanding of current all-optical transoceanic communication systems. He will combine his expertise with that of Dr. Wai in the development of a general theory of the evolution of NRZ-formatted pulses. To study these problems, Kutz will use scientific modelling, asymptotic analysis, dynamical and nonlinear wave theory and numerical simulation. ***
