Subjects: Optics >> Quantum optics submitted time 2023-02-19
Abstract： Topological photonics has attracted widespread research attention in the past decade due to its fundamental interest and unique manner in controlling light propagation for advanced applications. Paradigmatic approaches have been proposed to achieve topological phases including topological insulators in a variety of photonic systems. In particular, photonic lattices composed of evanescently coupled waveguide arrays have been employed conveniently to explore and investigate topological physics. In this article, we review our recent work on demonstration of topological phenomena in reconfigurable photonic lattices established by site-to-site cw-laser-writing or multiple-beam optical induction in photorefractive nonlinear crystals. We focus on the study of topological states realized in the celebrated one-dimensional Su-Schrieffer-Heeger lattices, including nonlinear topological edge states and gap solitons, nonlinearity-induced coupling to topological edge states, and nonlinear control of non-Hermitian topological states. In the two-dimensional case, we discuss two typical examples: universal mapping of momentum-space topological singularities through Dirac-like photonic lattices and realization of real-space nontrivial loop states in flatband photonic lattices. Our work illustrates how photorefractive materials can be employed conveniently to build up various synthetic photonic microstructures for topological studies, which may prove relevant and inspiring for exploration of fundamental phenomena in topological systems beyond photonics.
Peer Review Status:
Awaiting Review
Subjects: Optics >> Quantum optics submitted time 2023-02-19
Sihong Lei
Shiqi Xia
Junqian Wang
Xiuying Liu
Liqin Tang
Daohong Song
Jingjun Xu
Hrvoje Buljan
Zhigang Chen
Abstract： Topological singularities (TSs) in momentum space give rise to intriguing fundamental phenomena as well as unusual material properties, attracting a great deal of interest in the past decade. Recently, we have demonstrated universal momentum-to-real-space mapping of TSs and pseudospin angular momentum conversion using photonic honeycomb (graphene-like) and Lieb lattices. Such mapping arises from the Berry phase encircling the Dirac or Dirac-like cones, and is thus of topological origin. In this paper, we briefly present previous observations of topological charge conversion, and then we present our first theoretical analysis and experimental demonstration of TS mapping in a new T-graphene lattice. Unlike other lattices, there are two coexisting but distinct TSs located at different high-symmetry points in the first Brillouin zone of T-graphene, which enables controlled topological charge conversion in the same lattice. We show active manipulation of the TS mapping, turning the two TSs into vortices of different helicities, or one into a high-order vortex but the other into a quadrupole. Such TS manipulation and pseudospin-to-orbital conversion may find applications in optical communications and quantum information, and may bring insight into the study of other Dirac-like structures with multiple TSs beyond the 2D photonic platform.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
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