title: Stochastic resonance on two-dimensional arrays of bistable oscillators in a nonlinear optical system.
abstract: We describe an experimental realization of stochastic resonance in two-dimensional arrays of coupled nonlinear oscillators. The experiment is implemented using an optoelectronic system composed of a liquid crystal light valve in a feedback loop with external, spatially variable noise being added through a liquid crystal display. The behavior of the system differs from previously studied uniform arrays, showing a high signal-to-noise ratio at the output for a broad range of input noise. We show that this behavior is qualitatively the same as that exhibited by computer models where the nonlinear elements of the array have a distribution of biases applied to their switching thresholds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA. jsharpe@calpoly.edu
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sharpe
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sungar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Swaney
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carrigan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wheeler