Forward-backward equations for nonlinear propagation in axially invariant optical systems

We present a general framework to deal with forward and backward components of the electromagnetic field in axially invariant nonlinear optical systems, which include those having any type of linear or nonlinear transverse inhomogeneities. With a minimum amount of approximations, we obtain a system of two first-order equations for forward and backward components, explicitly showing the nonlinear couplings among them. The modal approach used allows for an effective reduction of the dimensionality of the original problem from $3+1$ (three spatial dimensions plus one time dimension) to $1+1$ (one spatial dimension plus one frequency dimension). The new equations can be written in a spinor Dirac-like form, out of which conserved quantities can be calculated in an elegant manner. Finally, these equations inherently incorporate spatiotemporal couplings, so that they can be easily particularized to deal with purely temporal or purely spatial effects. Nonlinear forward pulse propagation and nonparaxial evolution of spatial structures are analyzed as examples.