From flow to map in an experimental high-dimensional electro-optic nonlinear delay oscillator

An optoelectronic nonlinear delay oscillator seeded by a pulsed laser source is used to experimentally demonstrate a new transition scenario for the general class of delay differential dynamics, from continuous to discrete time behavior. This transition scenario differs from the singular limit map, or adiabatic approximation model that is usually considered. The transition from the map to the flow is observed when increasing the pulse repetition rate. The mechanism of this transition opens the way to new interpretations of the general properties of delay differential dynamics, which are universal features of many other scientific domains. We anticipate that the nonlinear delay oscillator architecture presented here will have significant applications in chaotic communication systems.