Irregular subharmonic cluster patterns in an autonomous photoelectrochemical oscillator

Unusual subharmonic cluster patterns are observed during the oscillatory electro-oxidation of n-Si(111) under illumination. 2D in situ imaging of the electrode by means of an ellipsometric setup allows local variations in the oxide layer thickness to be monitored. The local oscillators exhibit an irregular distribution of the amplitude with the extrema locked to the constant base frequency of the total current. In addition, Ising 2-phase clustering occurs at half the base frequency. This intrinsic dynamics is described by means of a modified complex Ginzburg-Landau equation.