Construction of classes of circuit-independent chaotic oscillators using passive-only nonlinear devices

Two generic classes of chaotic oscillators comprising four different configurations are constructed. The proposed structures are based on the simplest possible abstract models of generic second-order RC sinusoidal oscillators that satisfy the basic condition for oscillation and the frequency of oscillation formulas. By linking these sinusoidal oscillator engines to simple passive first-order or second-order nonlinear composites, chaos is generated and the evolution of the two-dimensional sinusoidal oscillator dynamics into a higher dimensional state space is clearly recognized. We further discuss three architectures into which autonomous chaotic oscillators can be decomposed. Based on one of these architectures we classify a large number of the available chaotic oscillators and propose a novel reconstruction of the classical Chua's circuit. The well-known Lorenz system of equations is also studied and a simplified model with equivalent dynamics, but containing no multipliers, is introduced.