Experimental targeting and control of spatiotemporal chaos in nonlinear optics

Abstract

We demonstrate targeting and control over spatiotemporal chaos in an optical feedback loop experiment. Different stationary target patterns are stabilized in real-time by means of a two dimensional space extended perturbation field driven by an interfaced computer and applied in real-space to a liquid crystal display device inserted within a control optical loop. The flexibility of the system in switching between different target patterns is also demonstrated.