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Abstract

We investigate theoretically the generation of nonlinear dissipative structures in optomechanical(OM) systems containing discrete arrays of mechanical resonators. We consider both hybridmodels in which the optical system is a continuous multimode field, as it would happen in an OMcavity containing an array of micro-mirrors, and also fully discrete models in which eachmechanical resonator interacts with a single optical mode, making contact with Ludwig andMarquardt (2013Phys.Rev.Lett.101, 073603). Also, we study the connections between both typesof models and continuous OM models. While all three types of models merge naturally in the limitof a large number of densely distributed mechanical resonators, we show that the spatiallocalization and the pattern formation found in continuous OM models can still be observed for asmall number of mechanical elements, even in the presence of finite-size effects, which we discuss.This opens new venues for experimental approaches to the subject.