Polarization-coupled spatial solitons in optical planar waveguides are investigated, using Whitham’s average variational principle to cast the problem into a set of ordinary differential equations. The main problem addressed is the stability of the dynamics and the mathematical results derived are compared with linear stability theory. Analytical forms for the stability edges are given together with numerical work that confirms that the true soliton dynamics agree with the mathematical analysis.

• Received 31 May 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.51.692