Multi-clustered chimeras in large semiconductor laser arrays with nonlocal interactions

The dynamics of a large array of coupled semiconductor lasers is studied for a nonlocal coupling scheme. Our focus is on chimera states, a self-organized spatio-temporal pattern of co-existing coherence and incoherence. In laser systems, such states have been previously found for global and nearest-neighbor coupling, mainly in small networks. The technological advantage of large arrays has motivated us to study a system of 200 nonlocally coupled lasers with respect to the emerging collective dynamics. The crucial parameters are the coupling strength, the coupling phase and the range of the nonlocal interaction. We find that chimera states with multiple (in)coherent domains exist in a wide region of the parameter space. We provide quantitative characterization for the obtained chimeras and other spatio-temporal patterns.