Are spatial solitons of both polarizations stable in Kerr slab waveguides?

Summary form only given. Spatial solitons, i.e., optical beams that propagate without change of shape due to the balance of diffraction and nonlinearity, have commanded a great deal of attention because of their unusual physical properties. Chief among these is their remarkable stability, leading to an almost particle-like behavior. In this communication, we report on the investigation of fundamental limitations to the stability of single polarization, one-dimensional Kerr (n=n/sub 0/+n/sub 2/I) spatial solitons in slab waveguides.