Two-dimensional optical chimera states in an array of coupled waveguide resonators

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the existence of two-dimensional optical chimera states in coupled waveguide arrays, revealing complex coexistence of coherent and incoherent light emission with chaotic dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of two-dimensional optical chimera states in waveguide arrays and characterizes their chaotic behavior using Lyapunov spectrum and Yorke-Kaplan dimension.

Findings

Existence of two-dimensional chimera states in waveguide arrays

Chimera states exhibit spatiotemporal chaos

System shows coexistence of coherent and incoherent emission

Abstract

Two-dimensional arrays of coupled waveguides or coupled microcavities allow to confine and manipulate light. Based on a paradigmatic envelope equation, we show that these devices, subject to a coherent optical injection, support coexistence between a coherent and incoherent emission. In this regime, we show that two-dimensional chimera state can be generated. Depending on initial conditions, the system exhibits a family of two-dimensional chimera states and interaction between them. We characterize these two-dimensional structures by computing their Lyapunov spectrum, and Yorke-Kaplan dimension. Finally, we show that two-dimensional chimera states are of spatiotemporal chaotic nature.