# Chimera states in small disordered optomechanical arrays

## TL;DR

This paper investigates the emergence of long-lived chimera states in small disordered optomechanical arrays, revealing that disorder is essential for their existence, with implications for understanding synchronization in complex systems.

## Contribution

It demonstrates that disorder enables chimera states in optomechanical arrays, combining numerical and analytical methods to uncover this phenomenon.

## Key findings

- Chimera states exist only with disorder in the array.
- Long-lived chimera states are observed in simulations.
- Disorder is necessary for partial synchronization patterns.

## Abstract

Synchronization of weakly-coupled non-linear oscillators is a ubiquitous phenomenon that has been observed across the natural sciences. We study the dynamics of optomechanical arrays - networks of mechanically compliant structures that interact with the radiation pressure force - which are driven to self-oscillation. These systems offer a convenient platform to study synchronization phenomena and have potential technological applications. We demonstrate that this system supports the existence of long-lived chimera states, where parts of the array synchronize whilst others do not. Through a combined numerical and analytical analysis we show that these chimera states can only emerge in the presence of disorder.