Mixed outer synchronization of coupled complex networks with time-varying coupling delay

In this paper, the problem of outer synchronization between two complex networks with the same topological structure and time-varying coupling delay is investigated. In particular, we introduce a new type of outer synchronization behavior, i.e., mixed outer synchronization (MOS), in which different state variables of the corresponding nodes can evolve into complete synchronization, antisynchronization, and even amplitude death simultaneously for an appropriate choice of the scaling matrix. A novel nonfragile linear state feedback controller is designed to realize the MOS between two networks and proved analytically by using Lyapunov-Krasovskii stability theory. Finally, numerical simulations are provided to demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of our proposed control approach.