Physicists at TU Dortmund University have periodically driven a time crystal and discovered a remarkable variety of nonlinear dynamic phenomena, ranging from perfect synchronization to chaotic behavior within a single semiconductor structure. The team has now published its latest findings in the journal Nature Communications.

For their current research, Dr. Alex Greilich’s team from the Department of Physics utilized a highly robust time crystal, previously introduced in Nature Physics last year. The crystal, made of indium gallium arsenide, was continuously illuminated with a laser during the initial experiment. This interaction caused a nuclear spin polarization, which in turn spontaneously generated oscillations, embodying the essence of a time crystal through periodic behavior under constant excitation.

In the newly published follow-up study, the team explored the dynamic phases of the time crystal. They illuminated the semiconductor periodically instead of continuously, while also varying the frequency of the periodic drive. The observed behavior of the time crystal, its frequency response, ranged from perfect synchronization to chaotic dynamics.