  We investigate theoretically the generation of nonlinear dissipative
structures in optomechanical (OM) systems containing discrete arrays of
mechanical resonators. We consider both hybrid models in which the optical
system is a continuous multimode field, as it would happen in an OM cavity
containing an array of micro-mirrors, and also fully discrete models in which
each mechanical resonator interacts with a single optical mode, making contact
with Ludwig & Marquardt [Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 073603 (2013)]. Also, we study
the connections between both types of models and continuous OM models. While
all three types of models merge naturally in the limit of a large number of
densely distributed mechanical resonators, we show that the spatial
localization and the pattern formation found in continuous OM models can be
still observed for a small number of mechanical elements, even in the presence
of finite-size effects, which we discuss. This opens new venues for
experimental approaches to the subject.
