Dynamic characterization of coupled nonlinear oscillators caused by the instability of ionization waves

We have experimentally investigated the dynamic behavior of coupled nonlinear oscillators, including chaos caused by the instability of ionization waves in a glow discharge plasma. We studied the phase synchronization process of coupled asymmetric oscillators with increasing coupling strength. Coherence resonance and phase synchronization were observed in the coupled systems. The phase synchronization process revealed scaling laws with a tendency of Type-I intermittency in the relationships between the coupling strength and the average duration of successive laminar states interrupted by a phase slip. Coupled periodic oscillators changed from a periodic state to chaos caused by the interaction of nonlinear periodic waves at increasing coupling strength