Generation of higher-order rogue waves from multi-breathers by double degeneracy in an optical fibre

Abstract

In this paper, we construct a special kind of breather solution of the nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation, the so-called breather-positon ({\it b-positon} for short), which can be obtained by taking the limit $λ_{j}$ $\rightarrow$ $λ_{1}$ of the Lax pair eigenvalues in the order-$n$ periodic solution which is generated by the $n$-fold Darboux transformation from a special "seed" solution--plane wave. Further, an order-$n$ {\it b-positon} gives an order-$n$ rogue wave under a limit $λ_1\rightarrow λ_0$. Here $λ_0$ is a special eigenvalue in a breather of the NLS equation such that its period goes to infinity. Several analytical plots of order-2 breather confirm visually this double degeneration. The last limit in this double degeneration can be realized approximately in an optical fiber governed by the NLS equation, in which an injected initial ideal pulse is created by a frequency comb system and a programable optical filter (wave shaper) according to the profile of an analytical form of the {\it b-positon} at a certain position $z_0$. We also suggest a new way to observe higher-order rogue waves generation in an optical fiber, namely, measure the patterns at the central region of the higher-order {\it b-positon} generated by above ideal initial pulses when $λ_1$ is very close to the $λ_0$. The excellent agreement between the numerical solutions generated from initial ideal inputs with a low signal noise ratio and analytical solutions of order-2 {\it b-positon}, supports strongly this way in a realistic optical fiber system. Our results also show the validity of the generating mechanism of a higher-order rogue waves from a multi-breathers through the double degeneration.