Combination of two basic types of synchronization in a coupled semiconductor laser system

Combination of two basic types of synchronization, anticipatory synchronization and lagged synchronization, is investigated numerically between two coupled semiconductor lasers. It is found that lagged synchronization produced by a backward coupling with a suitable delay can combine with the originally hidden anticipatory synchronization and produce a type of synchronization overcoming the original lagged synchronization produced by a forward coupling. We study the combination synchronization phenomenon when the delay of the backward coupling is different from that of the original anticipatory synchronization. Our results suggest that the synchronization combination phenomenon might allow an interpretation of an experimental observation by Sivaprakasam et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 154101 (2001)] that the anticipating time is irrespective of the external-cavity round trip time, which to date remains to be understood.     

Synchronizability of chaotic logistic maps in delayed complex networks

We study a network of coupled logistic maps whose interactions occur with a certain distribution of delay times. The local dynamics is chaotic in the absence of coupling and thus the network is a paradigm of a complex system. There are two regimes of synchronization, depending on the distribution of delays: when the delays are sufficiently heterogeneous the network synchronizes on a steady-state (that is unstable for the uncoupled maps); when the delays are homogeneous, it synchronizes in a time-dependent state (that is either periodic or chaotic). Using two global indicators we quantify the synchronizability on the two regimes, focusing on the roles of the network connectivity and the topology. The connectivity is measured in terms of the average number of links per node, and we consider various topologies (scale-free, small-world, star, and nearest-neighbor with and without a central hub). With weak connectivity and weak coupling strength, the network displays an irregular oscillatory dynamics that is largely independent of the topology and of the delay distribution. With heterogeneous delays, we find a threshold connectivity level below which the network does not synchronize, regardless of the network size. This minimum average number of neighbors seems to be independent of the delay distribution. We also analyze the effect of self-feedback loops and find that they have an impact on the synchronizability of small networks with large coupling strengths. The influence of feedback, enhancing or degrading synchronization, depends on the topology and on the distribution of delays.     

Experimental evidence of time-delay-induced death in coupled limit-cycle oscillators

Experimental observations of time-delay-induced amplitude death in two coupled nonlinear electronic circuits that are individually capable of exhibiting limit-cycle oscillations are described. The existence of multiply connected death islands in the parameter space of coupling strength and time delay for coupled identical oscillators is established. The existence of such regions was predicted earlier on theoretical grounds [Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 5109 (1998); Physica (Amsterdam) 129D, 15 (1999)]. The experiments also reveal the occurrence of multiple frequency states, frequency suppression of oscillations with increased time delay, and the onset of both in-phase and antiphase collective oscillations.     

Experimental study of the validity of quantitative conditions in the quantum adiabatic theorem

The quantum adiabatic theorem plays an important role in quantum mechanics. However, counter-examples were produced recently, indicating that their transition probabilities do not converge as predicted by the adiabatic theorem [K. P. Marzlin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 160408 (2004); D. M. Tong et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 110407 (2005)]. For a special class of Hamiltonians, we examine the standard criterion for adiabatic evolution experimentally and theoretically, as well as three newly suggested adiabatic conditions. We show that the standard criterion is neither sufficient nor necessary.     

Dynamics of delayed-coupled chaotic logistic maps: Influence of network topology,connectivity and delay times

We review our recent work on the synchronization of a network of delay-coupled maps, focusing on the interplay of the network topology and the delay times that take into account the finite velocity of propagation of interactions. We assume that the elements of the network are identical (N logistic maps in the regime where the individual maps, without coupling, evolve in a chaotic orbit) and that the coupling strengths are uniform throughout the network. We show that if the delay times are sufficiently heterogeneous, for adequate coupling strength the network synchronizes in a spatially homogeneous steady state, which is unstable for the individual maps without coupling. This synchronization behavior is referred to as ‘suppression of chaos by random delays’ and is in contrast with the synchronization when all the interaction delay times are homogeneous, because with homogeneous delays the network synchronizes in a state where the elements display in-phase time-periodic or chaotic oscillations. We analyze the influence of the network topology considering four different types of networks: two regular (a ring-type and a ring-type with a central node) and two random (free-scale Barabasi-Albert and small-world Newman-Watts). We find that when the delay times are sufficiently heterogeneous the synchronization behavior is largely independent of the network topology but depends on the network’s connectivity, i.e., on the average number of neighbors per node.      

The second law of thermodynamics in the quantum Brownian oscillator at an arbitrary temperature

In the classical limit no work is needed to couple a system to a bath with sufficiently weak coupling strength (or with arbitrarily finite coupling strength for a linear system) at the same temperature. In the quantum domain this may be expected to change due to system-bath entanglement. Here we show analytically that the work needed to couple a single linear oscillator with finite strength to a bath cannot be less than the work obtainable from the oscillator when it decouples from the bath. Therefore, the quantum second law holds for an arbitrary temperature. This is a generalization of the previous results for zero temperature [Ford and O'Connell, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 020402 (2006); Kim and Mahler, Eur. Phys. J. B 54, 405 (2006)]; in the high temperature limit we recover the classical behavior.     

Josephson oscillation of a superfluid Fermi gas

Using the complete numerical solution of a time-dependent three-dimensional mean-field model we study the Josephson oscillation of a superfluid Fermi gas (SFG) at zero temperature formed in a combined axially-symmetric harmonic plus one-dimensional periodic optical-lattice (OL) potentials after displacing the harmonic trap along the axial OL axis. We study the dependence of Josephson frequency on the strength of the OL potential. The Josephson frequency decreases with increasing strength as found in the experiment of Cataliotti et al. [Science 293, 843 (2001)] for a Bose-Einstein condensate and of the experiment of Pezzè et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 120401 (2004)] for an ideal Fermi gas. We demonstrate a breakdown of Josephson oscillation in the SFG for a large displacement of the harmonic trap. These features of Josephson oscillation of a SFG can be tested experimentally.     

Double exchange models: self consistent renormalisation

We propose a scheme for constructing classical spin Hamiltonians from Hunds coupled spin-fermion models in the limit J_H/t →∞. The strong coupling between fermions and the core spins requires self-consistent calculation of the effective exchange in the model, either in the presence of inhomogeneities or with changing temperature. In this paper we establish the formalism and discuss results mainly on the “clean” double exchange model, with self consistently renormalised couplings, and compare our results with exact simulations. Our method allows access to system sizes much beyond the reach of exact simulations, and we can study transport and optical properties of the model without artificial broadening. The method discussed here forms the foundation of our papers [Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 246602 (2003), and Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 126602 (2004)].     

Diffraction of picosecond bulk longitudinal and shear waves in micron thick films

Investigation of thin metallic film properties by means of picosecond ultrasonics [C. Thomsen et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 53, 989 (1984)] has been under the scope of several studies. Generation of longitudinal and shear waves [T. Pézeril et al., Phys. Rev. B 73, 132301 (2006); O. Matsuda et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 095501 (2004)] with a wave vector normal to the film free surface has been demonstrated. Such measurements cannot provide complete information about properties of anisotropic films. Extreme focusing of a laser pump beam (≈0.5 μm) on the sample surface has recently allowed us to provide evidence of picosecond acoustic diffraction in thin metallic films (≈1 μm) [C. Rossignol et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 166106 (2005)]. The resulting longitudinal and shear wavefronts propagate at group velocity through the bulk of the film. To interpret the received signals, source directivity diagrams are calculated taking into account material anisotropy, optical penetration, and laser beam width on the sample surface. It is shown that acoustic diffraction increases with optical penetration, so competing with the increasing of directivity caused by beam width. Reflection with mode conversion at the film-substrate interface is discussed.     

Growing mechanisms in the QKPZ equation aaand the DPD models

The roughening of interfaces moving in inhomogeneous media is investigated by numerical integration of the phenomenological stochastic differential equation proposed by Kardar, Parisi, and Zhang [Phys. Rev. Lett. 56, 889 (1986)] with quenched noise (QKPZ) [Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 920 (1995)]. We express the evolution equations for the mean height and the roughness into two contributions: the local and the lateral one in order to compare them with the local and the lateral contributions obtained for the directed percolation depinning models (DPD) introduced independently by Tang and Leschhorn [Phys. Rev A 45, R8309 (1992)] and Buldyrev et al. [Phys. Rev A 45, R8313 (1992)]. These models are classified in the same universality class of the QKPZ although the mechanisms of growth are quite different. In the DPD models the lateral contribution is a coupled effect of the competition between the local growth and the lateral one. In these models the lateral contribution leads to an increasing of the roughness near the criticality while in the QKPZ equation this contribution always flattens the roughness. Received 7 April 2000 and Received in final form 7 March 2001     

Erratum to: “Controlling complex dynamical networks with coupling delays to a desired orbit” [Phys. Lett. A 359 (2006) 42]

In this Letter, we indicate that the proposed sufficient condition in Letter [Z. Li, G. Feng, D., Hill, Phys. Lett. A 359 (2006) 42] does not hold, which cannot guarantee that the states of complex network with coupling delays globally exponentially synchronize with a desired orbit and it only applies to globally asymptotical synchronization with a desired orbit. For correcting the mistakes, a correct version of globally exponential synchronization is given and proved in this Letter.     

Measurement of net group and reshaping delays for optical pulses in dispersive media

We experimentally demonstrate the direct measurement of net group and reshaping delays for arbitrary optical pulses in dispersive media, verifying the earlier prediction of Peatross et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 2370 (2000)]. Incoherent pulse propagation in an absorptionless system is well described by net group delay; even the medium causes a great deal of deformation in the transmitted pulse. However, in the case of phase modulated chirping pulses in a resonant absorber, the so-called superluminal or subluminal propagation velocity is strongly influenced by the reshaping delay.     

Exciton-phonon coupling strength in single wall carbon nanotubes

The coupling strength of the exciton and different phonons, including the radial breathing mode (RBM), longitudinal (LO) and transverse (TO) optical phonons, are calculated for different diameter single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in the framework of tight-binding model. It is found that the exciton-phonon coupling strength with the LO mode or RBM shows a clear (2n+m)-family behavior due to the trigonal warping effect, but it with the TO mode remains to be zero. In the same SWNT, the E₂₂ exciton-phonon coupling strength is found to be slightly smaller than that of E₁₁ exciton. Finally, the exciton-RBM-phonon coupling strengths for several SWNTs are found to be in good agreement with the recent experimental data [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 037405 (2007)].     

Reconstruction of the two-mode vibronic quantum state of a trapped atom

We present a method for the direct measurement of the Wigner-function matrix for complex vibronic states of a trapped atom, that is suited to analyse the entanglement between two motional degrees of freedom and the internal electronic dynamics. It is a generalisation of the method for the determination of vibronic quantum states [S. Wallentowitz, R.L. de Matos Filho, W. Vogel, Phys. Rev. A 56, 1205 (1997)] in conjunction with the scheme for the direct observation of the Wigner function of a single motional degree of freedom [L.G. Lutterbach, L. Davidovich, Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 2547 (1997)]. The major advantage of the present method is that it reduces the experimental efforts substantially. On the other hand, it is demonstrated that the nonlinear vibronic coupling necessary for this method turns out to be its main limitation. Received: 5 August 1998     

Local synchronization in complex networks of coupled oscillators

We investigate the effects that network topology, natural frequency distribution, and system size have on the path to global synchronization as the overall coupling strength between oscillators is increased in a Kuramoto network. In particular, we study the scenario recently found by Go?mez-Garden?es et al. [Phys. Rev. E 73, 056124 (2006)] in which macroscopic global synchronization emerges through a process whereby many small synchronized clusters form, grow, and merge, eventually leading to a macroscopic giant synchronized component. Our main result is that this scenario is robust to an increase in the number of oscillators or a change in the distribution function of the oscillators' natural frequencies, but becomes less prominent as the number of links per oscillator increases.     

Dynamics of two coupled chaotic systems driven by external signals

Setting-up a controlled or synchronized state in a space-time chaotic structure targeting an unstable periodic orbit is a key feature of many problems in high dimensional physical, electronics, biological and ecological systems (among others). Formerly, we have shown numerically and experimentally that phase synchronization [M.G. Rosenblum, A.S. Pikovsky, J. Kurths, Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 4193 (1997)] can be achieved in time dependent hydrodynamic flows [D. Maza, A. Vallone, H.L. Mancini, S. Boccaletti, Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 5567 (2000)]. In that case the flow was generated in a small container with inhomogeneous heating in order to have a single roll structure produced by a Bénard-Marangoni instability [E.L. Koshmieder, Bénard Cells and Taylor Vortices (Cambridge University Press, 1993)]. Phase synchronization was achieved by a small amplitude signal injected at a subharmonic frequency obtained from the measured Fourier temperature spectrum. In this work, we analyze numerically the effects of driving two previously synchronized chaotic oscillators by an external signal. The numerical system represents a convective experiment in a small container with square symmetry, where boundary layer instabilities are coupled by a common flow. This work is an attempt to control this situation and overcome some difficulties to select useful frequency values for the driving force, analyzing the influence of different harmonic injection signals on the synchronization in a system composed by two identical chaotic Takens-Bogdanov equations (TBA and TBB) bidirectionally coupled.     

Spontaneous motion of localized structures and localized patterns induced by delayed feedback

We study the properties of 2D dissipative structures in a coherently driven optical resonator subjected to a delayed feedback. It has been predicted that delayed feedback can lead to the spontaneous motion of bright localized structures [M. Tlidi et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 103904 (2009)]. We study here the phenomenon in detail. In particular, we show that the delayed feedback induces a spontaneous motion of periodic patterns and dark localized structures. We focus our analysis on nascent optical bistability regime where the space time dynamics is described by a variational Swift-Hohenberg equation. In the absence of delayed feedback, dark localized structures and patterns do not move. This behavior occurs when the product of the delay time and the feedback strength exceeds some critical value.     

The synchronization transition in correlated oscillator populations

The synchronization transition of correlated ensembles of coupled Kuramoto oscillators on sparse random networks is investigated. Extensive numerical simulations show that correlations between the native frequencies of adjacent oscillators on the network systematically shift the critical point as well as the critical exponents characterizing the transition. Negative correlations imply an onset of synchronization for smaller coupling, whereas positive correlations shift the critical coupling towards larger interaction strengths. For negatively correlated oscillators the transition still exhibits critical behaviour similar to that of the all-to-all coupled Kuramoto system, while positive correlations change the universality class of the transition depending on the correlation strength. Crucially, the paper demonstrates that the synchronization behaviour is not only determined by the coupling architecture, but also strongly influenced by the oscillator placement on the coupling network.     

The effect of distributed time-delays on the synchronization of neuronal networks

Here we investigate the synchronization of networks of FitzHugh-Nagumo neurons coupled in scale-free, small-world and random topologies, in the presence of distributed time delays in the coupling of neurons. We explore how the synchronization transition is affected when the time delays in the interactions between pairs of interacting neurons are non-uniform. We find that the presence of distributed time-delays does not change the behavior of the synchronization transition significantly, vis-a-vis networks with constant time-delay, where the value of the constant time-delay is the mean of the distributed delays. We also notice that a normal distribution of delays gives rise to a transition at marginally lower coupling strengths, vis-a-vis uniformly distributed delays. These trends hold across classes of networks and for varying standard deviations of the delay distribution, indicating the generality of these results. So we conclude that distributed delays, which may be typically expected in real-world situations, do not have a notable effect on synchronization. This allows results obtained with constant delays to remain relevant even in the case of randomly distributed delays.     

Onset of collective and cohesive motion

We study the onset of collective motion, with and without cohesion, of groups of noisy self-propelled particles interacting locally. We find that this phase transition, in two space dimensions, is always discontinuous, including for the minimal model of Vicsek et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 75, 1226 (1995)]] for which a nontrivial critical point was previously advocated. We also show that cohesion is always lost near onset, as a result of the interplay of density, velocity, and shape fluctuations.