We report a detailed experimental investigation of the dependence of localized structures, observed in a nonlinear optical device, on several control parameters. A first step of the study consists in the determination of the region of existence of localized states as a function of the system variables. Subsequently, we show how different control parameters can be used to the aim of tuning several localized structures properties; among these, of particular relevance are the contrast and the

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... tude and frequency of the oscillations appearing on the tails of the structures. A discussion of the relation between the localized states here studied and the one predicted by general model for pattern forming systems is also given. During the last two decades, the study of pattern formation and competition in spatially extended systems driven out of thermodynamical equilibrium has been extensively carried out. 1 Among the different fields wherein these investigations have been performed, nonlinear optics represents a fruitful area of activity. This is due to the fact that patterned states arises naturally from the interplay of diffraction, optical nonlinearities, and other physical mechanisms in many optical devices. 2,3 In this context, special attention has been recently paid to the emergence of localized states. Aside the fundamental interest in the phenomenon of localization that these states stimulate, optical solitary structures are considered promising in view of applications as pixels in image processing systems. Here we report a detailed characterization of optical localized structures observed in a nonlinear optical interferometer. We delimit the existence range of these structures in the parameter space, and give evidence of the broad possibility of tuning the main features of an individual localized structure by means of external control variables.