Nonlinear dynamics and chaos in dissipative optical trimers with complex couplings

Area of Science:

• Non-Hermitian photonics
• Nonlinear optics
• Waveguide arrays

Background:

• Non-Hermitian systems offer unique optical phenomena.
• Nonlinear optical trimers with lossy waveguides are of research interest.
• Complex couplings introduce non-Hermiticity.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate dynamics in a nonlinear optical trimer with complex couplings and loss.
• Analyze stable stationary and oscillatory regimes.
• Explore chaotic dynamics and bifurcation structures.

Main Methods:

• Modeling a nonlinear optical trimer with three lossy waveguides.
• Employing complex coupling parameters.
• Utilizing Lyapunov exponent measurements for chaos detection.
• Semianalytical continuation for bifurcation analysis.

Main Results:

• Stable stationary and oscillatory regimes were observed across a broad parameter range.
• Chaotic dynamics were confirmed through period doubling.
• The underlying bifurcation structure was mapped.
• The interplay between Kerr nonlinearity and non-Hermiticity was highlighted.

Conclusions:

• The nonlinear optical trimer demonstrates rich dynamical behaviors.
• Non-Hermiticity, arising from dissipation and complex coupling, significantly influences dynamics.
• This work provides a novel perspective on nonlinear and non-Hermitian optics.