Laser Chimeras as a paradigm for multi-stable patterns in complex systems

Abstract: Chimera is a rich and fascinating class of self-organized solutions developed in high dimensional networks having non-local and symmetry breaking coupling features. Its accurate understanding is expected to bring important insight in many phenomena observed in complex spatio-temporal dynamics, from living systems, brain operation principles, and even turbulence in hydrodynamics. In this article we report on a powerful and highly controllable experiment based on optoelectronic delayed feedback applied to a wavelength tunable semiconductor laser, with which a wide variety of Chimera patterns can be accurately investigated and interpreted. We uncover a cascade of higher order Chimeras as a pattern transition from N to N - 1 clusters of chaoticity. Finally, we follow visually, as the gain increases, how Chimera is gradually destroyed on the way to apparent turbulence-like system behaviour.