Effect of higher-order dispersion on modulation instability, soliton propagation and pulse splitting

By solving numerically the extended nonlinear Schrödinger equation we investigate the influence of higher-order dispersion effects on the propagation of optical pulses in highly nonlinear fibers. In the anomalous dispersion regime third-order dispersion can, in general, induce soliton fission and yields asymmetric spectra, whereas modulation instability can be slightly suppressed. In the normal dispersion regime we demonstrate pulse splitting by third-order dispersion, as well as its later suppression by fourth-order dispersion