Coupled-mode theory for electromagnetic pulse propagation in dispersive media undergoing a spatiotemporal perturbation: Exact derivation, numerical validation, and peculiar wave mixing

We present an extension of the canonical coupled-mode theory of electromagnetic waves to the case of pulses and spatiotemporal perturbations in complex media. Unlike previous attempts to derive such a model, our approach involves no approximation, and it does not impose any restriction on the spatiotemporal profile. Moreover, the effect of modal dispersion on mode evolution and on the coupling to other modes is fully taken into account. Thus, our approach can yield any required accuracy by retaining as many terms in the expansion as needed. It also avoids various artifacts of previous derivations by introducing the correct form of the solution. We then validate the coupled-mode equations with exact numerical simulations, and we demonstrate the wide range of possibilities enabled by spatiotemporal perturbations of pulses, including pulse shortening or broadening or more complex shaping. Our formulation is valid across the electromagnetic spectrum, and it can be applied directly also to other wave systems.