Controlling the Chaotic Regime of Nonlinear Ionization Waves using the Time-Delay Autosynchronization Method

The chaotic regime of an unstable glow discharge is controlled using a continuous time-delay autosynchronization method. At a fixed location along the discharge tube, the electric field is chaotic within certain ranges of the discharge current. The control signal, built from the difference between the delayed signal and the real-time chaotic signal, leads to the stabilization of the discharge when applied to the control parameter (the discharge current).