Homoclinic snaking of localized patterns in a spatially forced system.

Dissipative localized structures exhibit intricate bifurcation diagrams. An adequate theory has been developed in one space dimension; however, discrepancies arise with the experiments. Based on an optical feedback with spatially modulated input beam, we set up a 1D forced configuration in a nematic liquid crystal layer. We characterize experimentally and theoretically the homoclinic snaking diagram of localized patterns, providing a reconciliation between theory and experiments.