We analyze a collapse mechanism of energy localization in nonlinear fiber arrays. The nonlinear fiber array is suggested as a device to amplify and compress optical pulses. Pulse propagation in one-dimensional fiber arrays has features of collapse (self-focusing) dynamics. Collapse-type compression leads to the localization of all energy initially dispersed in array into a few fibers. Numerical simulations demonstrate the robustness of the suggested compression mechanism.

• Received 21 November 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.75.73