Soliton coupling in birefringent optical fiber with third-order dispersion

Nonlinear coupling of polarized solitons in birefringent optical fiber in the presence of third-order dispersion is considered in the framework of the coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations. The influence of third-order dispersion on the interaction between solitons is investigated. For sufficiently strong third-order dispersion the interaction may even become repulsive. The stable conditions for solitons of partial pulses are analyzed and amplitude threshold, which decreases with third-order dispersion coefficient decreasing, for the capture of solitons of partial pulses into a coupled two-component pulse is obtained.