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Variational approach to study solitary waves in $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric nonlinear couplers

We theoretically investigate the solitary waves and their switching dynamics in a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric directional fiber coupler, exhibiting Kerr nonlinearity, by developing a variational analysis. We analyze the fundamental switching characteristics of the $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric Kerr coupler in the picosecond timescale by considering the coupled-mode equation for the unperturbed nonlinear Schrödinger equation, which we compare to its conventional counterpart. The impacts of higher-order perturbations (intrapulse Raman scattering, self-steepening, and third-order dispersion) are investigated in detail in the femtosecond timescale. In all cases, the variational method successfully predicts each of the numerically observed switching characteristics. Our semianalytical treatment has the potential to provide physical insights into complex switching dynamics in various nonlinear coupler configurations from different areas of physics.