Modulation Instability in Optical Waveguide

This lecture explores modulation instability in optical waveguides, a phenomenon where continuous wave light can break up into ultrashort pulses due to the interplay between nonlinearity and dispersion. The instructor discusses the definition, diverse fields where modulation instability is studied, and its observation in various physics domains. Linear stability analysis inside a waveguide is presented, focusing on the dispersion relation and stability conditions against perturbations. Gain in power for small perturbations and the impact of dispersion values on instability gain are also covered, with suggestions for simulation experiments.