Generalized method and its application in the higher-order nonlinear Schrodinger equation in nonlinear optical fibres

A generalized method, which is called the generally projective Riccati equation method, is presented to find more exact solutions of nonlinear differential equations based upon a coupled Riccati equation. As an application of the method, we choose the higher-order nonlinear Schrodinger equation to illustrate the method. As a result more new exact travelling wave solutions are found which include bright soliton solutions, dark soliton solution, new,, solitary waves, periodic solutions and rational solutions. The new method can be extended to other nonlinear differential equations in mathematical physics. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.