Pattern formation during the oscillatory photoelectrodissolution of n-type silicon: Turbulence, clusters and chimeras

We report and classify the rich variety of patterns forming spontaneously in the oxide layer during the oscillatory photoelectrodissolution of n-type doped silicon electrodes under limited illumination. Remarkably, these patterns are often comprised of several dynamical states coexisting on the electrode, such as subharmonic phase clusters and spatio-temporal chaos, and include so-called 'chimera states'. The experiments suggest that the subharmonic phase clusters emerge from a period doubling bifurcation that, upon further parameter changes, evolves into classical phase clusters. Experimentally the occurrence of the patterns is controlled via two coupling mechanisms: a linear global coupling by an external resistor and a nonlinear coupling imposed on the system by the limitation of the illumination.