Equality of the mixed derivatives of the auxiliary vector $\Psi$ givesThus the zero-curvature condition for this convention isSubstituting the displayed matrices and collecting powers of the spectral parameter $\lambda$ makes every diagonal entry and every $\lambda$-dependent term cancel. The remaining matrix isConsequently compatibility is equivalent toso the requested constant isThis is the AKNS Lax pair for the nonlinear Schrodinger equation.

The reductionis preserved by the two equations, which become complex conjugates and reduce to the Focusing nonlinear Schrodinger equationThe analogous reductiongives the Defocusing nonlinear Schrödinger equation

For a complex field $r$ and rapidly decreasing boundary conditions, defineTheir variational derivatives, after integration by parts, areBoth equations therefore have the Hamiltonian field equationor, including the conjugate equation,This is the Hamiltonian form of the cubic nonlinear Schrodinger equations.

Now putwhere $E$ and $f$ are real and $f$ is smooth and rapidly decreasing. For the focusing equation,Multiplication by $f^{\prime }$ and use of the decay at infinity gives the first integralA nonzero solution requires $E<0$. Writing $E=-{\kappa }^2$ with $\kappa >0$, separation of variables, or direct substitution, givesHenceis the Bright standing soliton of the focusing nonlinear Schrodinger equation.

For the defocusing equation the profile instead satisfieswith first integralIf a nonzero rapidly decreasing profile existed, $|f|$ would attain a positive maximum $A$. At that point $f^{\prime }=0$, so the identity forces $E=A^2>0$. But along either tail, where $0<|f|<A$, the right-hand side $f^2(f^2-E)$ is negative, which is impossible. Thus there is no nonzero solution of the prescribed form, as recorded by No rapidly decaying standing wave for the defocusing cubic nonlinear Schrodinger equation.