arXiv subjects

Haoran Xue

Publications and source records attributed to Haoran Xue.

62 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

Non-Hermitian Dirac Cones

Non-Hermitian systems, which contain gain or loss, commonly host exceptional point degeneracies rather than the diabolic points found in Hermitian systems. We present a class of non-Hermitian lattice models with symmetry-stabilized diabolic points, such as Dirac or Weyl points. They exhibit non-Hermiticity-induced phenomena previously existing in the Hermitian regime, including topological phase transitions, Landau levels induced by pseudo-magnetic fields, and Fermi arc surface states. These behaviors are controllable via gain and loss, with promising applications in tunable active topological devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Observation of an unpaired photonic Dirac point

At photonic Dirac points, electromagnetic waves are governed by the same equations as two-component massless relativistic fermions. However, photonic Dirac points are known to occur in pairs in "photonic graphene" and other similar photonic crystals, which necessitates special precautions to excite only states near one of the Dirac points. Systems hosting unpaired photonic Dirac points are significantly harder to realize, as they require broken time-reversal symmetry. Here, we report on the first observation of an unpaired Dirac point in a planar two-dimensional photonic crystal. The structure incorporates gyromagnetic materials, which break time-reversal symmetry; the unpaired Dirac point occurs when a parity-breaking parameter is fine-tuned to a topological transition between a photonic Chern insulator and a conventional photonic insulator phase. Evidence for the unpaired Dirac point is provided by transmission and field-mapping experiments, including a demonstration of strongly non-reciprocal reflection. This photonic crystal is suitable for investigating the unique features of two-dimensional Dirac states, such as one-way Klein tunneling.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2019

Realization of an acoustic third-order topological insulator

The recent discovery of higher-order topological insulators (TIs) has opened new possibilities in the search for novel topological materials and metamaterials. Second-order TIs have been implemented in two-dimensional (2D) systems exhibiting topological 'corner states', as well as three-dimensional (3D) systems having one-dimensional (1D) topological 'hinge states'. Third-order TIs, which have topological states three dimensions lower than the bulk (which must thus be 3D or higher), have not yet been reported. Here, we describe the realization of a third-order TI in an anisotropic diamond-lattice acoustic metamaterial. The bulk acoustic bandstructure has nontrivial topology characterized by quantized Wannier centers. By direct acoustic measurement, we observe corner states at two corners of a rhombohedron-like structure, as predicted by the quantized Wannier centers. This work extends topological corner states from 2D to 3D, and may find applications in novel acoustic devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Realization of a three-dimensional photonic topological insulator

Confining photons in a finite volume is in high demand in modern photonic devices. This motivated decades ago the invention of photonic crystals, featured with a photonic bandgap forbidding light propagation in all directions. Recently, inspired by the discoveries of topological insulators (TIs), the confinement of photons with topological protection has been demonstrated in two-dimensional (2D) photonic structures known as photonic TIs, with promising applications in topological lasers and robust optical delay lines. However, a fully three-dimensional (3D) topological photonic bandgap has never before been achieved. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a 3D photonic TI with an extremely wide (> 25% bandwidth) 3D topological bandgap. The sample consists of split-ring resonators (SRRs) with strong magneto-electric coupling and behaves as a 'weak TI', or a stack of 2D quantum spin Hall insulators. Using direct field measurements, we map out both the gapped bulk bandstructure and the Dirac-like dispersion of the photonic surface states, and demonstrate robust photonic propagation along a non-planar surface. Our work extends the family of 3D TIs from fermions to bosons and paves the way for applications in topological photonic cavities, circuits, and lasers in 3D geometries.

physics.class-ph↗

arXiv2018

Topological triply-degenerate point with double Fermi arcs

Unconventional chiral particles have recently been predicted to appear in certain three dimensional (3D) crystal structures containing three- or more-fold linear band degeneracy points (BDPs). These BDPs carry topological charges, but are distinct from the standard twofold Weyl points or fourfold Dirac points, and cannot be described in terms of an emergent relativistic field theory. Here, we report on the experimental observation of a topological threefold BDP in a 3D phononic crystal. Using direct acoustic field mapping, we demonstrate the existence of the threefold BDP in the bulk bandstructure, as well as doubled Fermi arcs of surface states consistent with a topological charge of 2. Another novel BDP, similar to a Dirac point but carrying nonzero topological charge, is connected to the threefold BDP via the doubled Fermi arcs. These findings pave the way to using these unconventional particles for exploring new emergent physical phenomena.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2018

Spin-valley-controlled photonic topological insulator

The discovery of photonic topological insulators (PTIs) has opened the door to fundamentally new topological states of light.Current time-reversal-invariant PTIs emulate either the quantum spin Hall (QSH) effect or the quantum valley Hall (QVH) effect in condensed-matter systems, in order to achieve topological transport of photons whose propagation is predetermined by either 'photonic pseudospin' (abbreviated as 'spin') or valley. Here we demonstrate a new class of PTIs, whose topological phase is not determined solely by spin or valley, but is controlled by the competition between their induced gauge fields. Such a competition is enabled by tuning the strengths of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and inversion-symmetry breaking in a single PTI. An unprecedented topological transition between QSH and QVH phases that is hard to achieve in condensed-matter systems is demonstrated. Our study merges the emerging fields of spintronics and valleytronics in the same photonic platform, and offers novel PTIs with reconfigurable topological phases.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2018

Acoustic higher-order topological insulator on a Kagome lattice

High-order topological insulators (TIs) are a family of recently-predicted topological phases of matter obeying an extended topological bulk-boundary correspondence principle. For example, a two-dimensional (2D) second-order TI does not exhibit gapless one-dimensional (1D) topological edge states, like a standard 2D TI, but instead has topologically-protected zero-dimensional (0D) corner states. So far, higher-order TIs have been demonstrated only in classical mechanical and electromagnetic metamaterials exhibiting quantized quadrupole polarization. Here, we experimentally realize a second-order TI in an acoustic metamaterial. This is the first experimental realization of a new type of higher-order TI, based on a breathing Kagome lattice, that has zero quadrupole polarization but nontrivial bulk topology characterized by quantized Wannier centers (WCs). Unlike previous higher-order TI realizations, the corner states depend not only on the bulk topology but also on the corner shape; we show experimentally that they exist at acute-angled corners of the Kagome lattice, but not at obtuse-angled corners. This shape dependence allows corner states to act as topologically-protected but reconfigurable local resonances.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2017

Topologically-protected refraction of robust kink states in valley photonic crystals

Recently discovered valley photonic crystals (VPCs) mimic many of the unusual properties of two-dimensional gapped valleytronic materials such as bilayer graphene or MoS2. Of the utmost interest to optical communications is their ability to support topologically protected chiral edge (kink) states at the internal domain wall between two VPCs with spectrally overlapping bandgap zones and opposite half-integer valley-Chern indices. We experimentally demonstrate the robustness of the kink states in VPCs that support degenerate transverse-electric-like (TE) and transverse-magnetic-like (TM) topological phases, thus enabling polarization multiplexing in a single topological waveguide. The propagation direction of the kink states is locked to the valleys of the reverse Brave lattice and, therefore, cannot be reversed in the absence of inter-valley scattering. At the intersection between the internal domain wall and the external edge separating the VPCs from free space, the kink states are shown to exhibit >97% out-coupling efficiency into directional free-space beams. This constitutes the first experimental demonstration of meron-like valley-projected topological phases with half-integer valley-Chern indices.

physics.optics↗