Target wave imagery in nonlinear oscillatory systems

Scientists have been familiar with various phenomena of wave propagation for several centuries, such as reflection, diffraction, normal and negative refraction in both linear and nonlinear systems. However, there has been no report about wave imagery in nonlinear systems which is a well-known phenomenon in linear optics. By periodically pacing a small area of a medium in one side of the interface, we reveal target wave imagery in the medium of the other side of the interface. We demonstrate that unlike what happens in linear optics, with certain proper parameter sets, imaging target waves in nonlinear systems can form without apparatus. The imagery process has been discussed in detail. Moreover, the position of the image will move when the core of the pacing-generated target wave changes. This imagery phenomenon provides a new insight into the understanding of the behavior of nonlinear waves, and is helpful to design new functional materials. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2015