This chapter addresses the combination of linear magnetooptics and intrinsic optical nonlinearity, to make nonlinear waveguide systems that permit solitary wave control and a possible new range of devices. Such applications are simple in concept ― as, indeed, are all schemes ever proposed for realistic optical switching ― yet they are within the currently available material technology. A discussion is presented of a magnetooptic configuration in a standard planar format. The latter is the building block of planar technology photonics because the objective is an all-optics 'chip-level' format that will paiticipate in, and control all-optical processing operations in the future. The way forward is to use spatial soliton beams in which the diffraction length is the operative length scale. The reason for this is that diffraction operates over only the order of mm and sc it fits the 'chip' design very well. Once solitons are created, controlling their dynamics becomes an important issue so magnetooptics is put forward here as a very attractive option. Building a planar structure upon a magnetooptic substrate leads to a number of possibilities, but for the moment, we choose TM waves, within what is called the transverse magnetooptic configuration. The new idea is to use a transversely varying magnetooptic parameter, created by deploying electrode structures. These electrode structures, will, in practice, be narrow strips of metal, which can be created in any desired pattern. Even the simplest of them gives an impressive degree of control over the soliton dynamics. An interesting example is presented to illustrate the capability of this area but added or buried, electrode structures will become a feature of the all-optical chip technology of the future. There is a lot of work to be done! It will give a real possibility of manipulating the solitons in any way that is desired. The realisation of this aspiration is assured by the availability of magnetooptic materials through the global technology that is driving the linear magnetooptic field.
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