Complete Bifurcation Analysis of the Vilnius Chaotic Oscillator

The paper is dedicated to the numerical and experimental study of nonlinear oscillations exhibited by the Vilnius chaotic generator. The motivation for the work is defined by the need for a comprehensive analysis of the dynamics of the oscillators being embedded into chaotic communication systems. These generators should provide low-power operation while ensuring the robustness of the chaotic oscillations, insusceptible to parameter variations and noise. The work focuses on the investigation of the dependence of nonlinear dynamics of the Vilnius oscillator on the operating voltage and component parameter changes. The paper shows that the application of the Method of Complete Bifurcation Groups reveals the complex smooth and non-smooth bifurcation structures, forming regions of robust chaotic oscillations. The novel tool—mode transition graph—is presented, allowing the comparison of experimental and numerical results. The paper demonstrates the applicability of the Vilnius oscillator for the generation of robust chaos, and highlights the need for further investigation of the inherent trade-off between energy efficiency and robustness of the obtained oscillations.