Complex structures in media displaying electromagnetically induced transparency: Pattern multistability and competition

Spatially periodic and localized structures in the transverse plane of a medium displaying electromagnetically induced transparency in an optical cavity and under the action of two pumps are investigated. The system supports a multitude of different complex spatial structures depending on the chosen initial condition. We explore regimes of multistable patterns, filaments, stable defects, scrolling structures, nested patterns, fronts, and the spontaneous occurrence of multiple cavity solitons. To simulate realistic conditions of operation, we replace periodic boundary conditions with pumps of finite size. Many of the multistable features are recovered apart from the scrolling of patterns with defects.