arXiv subjects

Yijie Shen

Publications and source records attributed to Yijie Shen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Recovering topological information of light by topological learning

The evolution of modern-day communication networks towards optical solutions with enhanced capacity and robustness is driving interest in topological light waves, exploiting their stability against perturbations through a topological invariant, e.g., the skyrmion number. However, detecting the underlying topology remains a computationally intense process even under ideal conditions, becoming intractable after passing through strongly disordered channels, where the degradation into unrecognisable speckle appears to destroy the topology. Here, we propose and demonstrate a topology-enhanced artificial intelligence (AI) approach to recover and classify such apparently lost topological information by computationally leveraging topological invariants in the data across many length scales. By aligning the topological classification of information with the topology of light, our topology-enhanced learning protocol, termed TOPO$^{2}$, achieves highly efficient recognition of the topological states of light, even from speckle, without the need for any prior learning. Our approach outperforms benchmark tests against standard computational algorithms and has the benefit of requiring just a single intensity pattern as the input, facilitating single-shot operation. To demonstrate this, we leverage the skyrmion number as a robust data carrier of images through a disordered channel, using TOPO$^{2}$ to accurately reconstruct the transmitted images. This work synergises topological photonics and topological AI for unravelling hidden topological signatures in light, opening a pathway towards robust communications even in extreme disordered environments.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Dynamic Water-Wave Tweezers

Following a recent demonstration of stable trapping of floating particles by stationary (monochromatic) structured water waves [Nature 638, 394 (2025)], we report dynamic water-wave tweezers that enable controllable transport of the trapped particle along an arbitrary trajectory on the water surface. Furthermore, we demonstrate simultaneous transport of two trapped particles along different trajectories. We employ a triangular lattice formed by the interference of three plane waves, which can trap particles, depending on the wave frequency and particle parameters, either at intensity maxima or at intensity zeros (vortices). By introducing small frequency detunings of the interfering waves, we control 2D motion of the lattice and trapped particles. This approach is robust and effective over a relatively broad range of particle sizes and wave frequencies, offering remarkable new possibilities for noncontact manipulation of floating (e.g., biological and soft-matter) objects in fluidic environments.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2026

Programmable generation of optical skyrmions on a silicon photonic chip

Optical skyrmions, characterized by topologically stable and spatially varying polarization textures, show immense potential for robust optical communications and metrology. However, conventional methods for generating optical Stokes skyrmions rely on bulky free-space optics, strictly constraining both system miniaturization and dynamic reconfigurability. Here, we demonstrate the efficient and programmable generation of optical skyrmions and bimerons using a compact silicon photonic chip. By integrating a programmable Mach--Zehnder interferometer mesh with a multi-dimensional grating emitter, we dynamically control the amplitudes, phases, and polarizations of emitted fundamental and orbital angular momentum modes. This architecture allows on-demand electrical switching among a complete library of optical quasi-particle states, including Néel, Bloch, intermediate, and anti-type skyrmions and bimerons. Experimental full-Stokes polarimetry confirms high-fidelity polarization textures with near-unity skyrmion numbers. Our foundry-compatible platform translates complex topological light generation into simple voltage controls, paving the way for next-generation communication and sensing systems based on optical skyrmions.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Partial coherence control delivers skyrmionic topological resilience and transitions

Optical skyrmions have recently unlocked topological quasiparticle textures of light, rising in prominence for next-generation ultra-robust information processing. However, to date, their study has been mainly confined to coherent laser fields. Here we extend skyrmions to more general light sources of partially coherent, stochastic optical fields. We define stochastic optical skyrmions and uncover a hidden regime where spatial coherence acts as a primary determinant of topological stability. While environmental randomness typically degrades fully coherent states, we demonstrate that engineered partial coherence provides a self-healing mechanism that preserves topology under extreme turbulence. Moreover, we show that the coherence structure can be actively tailored to trigger on-demand topological phase transitions, such as skyrmion-to-skyrmionium conversion and skyrmion lattice splitting. These findings redefine the boundaries of topological photonics, paving the way for resilient and high-fidelity information platforms that remain operational in general, non-ideal, real-world environments.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Observation of helical pulses

Ultrafast spatiotemporal vortex pulses constitute a category within spatiotemporal topological waves. Nevertheless, the experimental realization of helical pulses single or few cycle short vortex pulses characterized by space time nonseparability remains elusive to date. Here, we introduce two complementary methods for experimentally generating such space time nonseparable helical pulses (SNHPs) in the optical and microwave spectral regimes. We achieve few cycle quasi linearly polarized SNHPs by decomposing the optical toroidal pulses into their polarization components. We also generated single cycle nontransverse SNHPs directly from a microwave ultrawideband spiral emitter. These approaches enable the experimental realization of SNHPs and provide a platform for further investigation into their properties and applications, such as nontrivial light-matter interactions and optical communications.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Acoustic toroidal vortices with programmable links and knots

Toroidal vortices are three-dimensional torus-shaped wave structures characterized by phase circulation around a closed vortex line. Their toroidal geometry provides a natural foundation for constructing linked and knotted wave structures. Here we experimentally synthesize scalar acoustic toroidal vortices using a programmable circular phased array. Full spatiotemporal measurements directly resolve the toroidal envelope, the closed phase-singularity ring, the associated poloidal phase winding, and the free-space evolution of the wave packet. By introducing an independently controlled phase winding along the toroidal cycle, we realize scalar acoustic hopfions and directly reconstruct their three-dimensional equiphase fibers from the measured complex pressure field. Varying the poloidal and toroidal winding numbers controls the phase-fiber geometry, linking, and connectivity, yielding a Hopf link, a multicomponent torus link, and a trefoil knot. These results provide direct experimental access to the geometry, propagation dynamics, and phase-fiber topology of scalar toroidal wave fields, establishing a reconfigurable acoustic platform for linked and knotted wave structures.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Multi-quantum-channel mediated tunable single-photon skyrmions from metasurfaces

Quantum optical skyrmions, as topologically robust quantum information carriers, hold transformative potential for resilient high-dimensional quantum information networks. However, their practical exploitation was still restricted to a single quantum channel, which precludes the multiplexing essential for practical high-capacity quantum networks. Here, we utilize a metasurface to achieve multi-channel quantum state distribution of the polarization-entangled photon pairs, inducing a two-photon bunching effect in both the spin and spatial dimensions with compact flat optics. At the spatial bunching port, controlled manipulation of the spin-orbit interaction enables the generation of a tunable single-photon skyrmion pair. In contrast to any prior skyrmion generation, the single-photon skyrmions are mediated and topologically controlled by quantum measurement in multiple channels. Concurrently, during the amplitude and phase modulation process, both the skyrmion localization and the texture helicity can be precisely customized. The proposed tunable single-photon skyromions offer multidimensional controllability and topological stability provide a viable path toward noise-resilient high-dimensional quantum information processing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Unfolding unstable skyrmionic polarization textures

Polarization of light can form skyrmionic textures, akin to nonlinear solitons in condensed matter, yet their disparate physical context has motivated extensive debate regarding their stability. Here we show that the topological charge of such structures (skyrmion number) changes when an arbitrarily small perturbation splits coalescent phase singularities. In a superposition of two vortex beams, the skyrmion number generally only depends on the higher order topological charge $\lrr{Q_{\rm sk}=\max\lr{\ell_2,\ell_1}}$ rather than the difference of charges of the vortices in superposition $\lrr{Q_{\rm sk}=\ell_2-\ell_1}$, which only holds in the absence of perturbation. These results have significant implications for polarization structures with wavelength-scale localization and those experiencing complex aberrations.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Twistsonics: engineering acoustic topological textures in moire sound lattices

Moire superlattices formed by twisting periodic systems provide a powerful platform for emergent topological phenomena, but their use for programming real-space topology in acoustic wave fields remains largely unexplored. Here we report a phase-controlled spoof surface acoustic wave platform for constructing moire topological textures in the acoustic particle-velocity field. On a perforated acoustic metasurface, two twisted skyrmion lattices are synthesized and superposed, yielding acoustic skyrmion bags with controllable topological numbers and geometries. The twist angle and rotation center control the scale and configuration of the bags, enabling deterministic reshaping of the composite texture. We further introduce controlled defects to assess the defect tolerance of the moire skyrmion bags. The skyrmion bags retain their composite topology over a finite range of defect densities, and comparison with an untwisted single-layer skyrmion lattice suggests enhanced stability of the enclosed skyrmion cluster relative to the single-layer reference at higher defect densities. The same programmable platform also supports transitions from skyrmion lattices to meron lattices and enables twist-induced meron clusters. These findings establish acoustic moire superlattices as a reconfigurable platform for engineering robust real-space topological textures, with potential applications in topology-guided acoustic manipulation and information encoding.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2026

Non-diffracting meronic spin defects of light

Optical vortices are singularity lines where the light field intensity vanishes and its phase is undefined. These threads of darkness are adorned by Gauss's law as lines of pure longitudinal polarization where the polarization plane tilts and winds around. We unveil the resulting spin field as a unique structure which unifies both topological textures and defects, as it includes a point defect of undefined spin surrounded by a meronic texture which spans half the spin unit sphere. Moreover, this intricate topological structure of transverse spin does not spread in propagation, is localized arbitrarily below the wavelength of light and presents highly anisotropic features. Here we describe these hidden topologies of transverse spin embedded in simple scalar vortex beams, highlighting the diversity of topological structures that arise in two different spaces -- the spin unit sphere and the transverse-axial Poincaré sphere -- and discuss the underlying aspects behind their subwavelength localization.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Diffraction-free natural optical skyrmions and their subwavelength confinement around vortices

Diffraction causes waves to spread out as they propagate freely. The tighter the lateral confinement, the faster the spreading. Past research on how to suppress diffraction has been based on wave engineering and has led so far to idealized waves that, in real settings, eventually diffract. Here, we find a propagating light wave structure naturally present in optical vortices, a natural skyrmion, that is exempt from diffraction. Moreover, diffraction-free propagation occurs with lateral confinement at any scale below the wavelength of light. In our experiments, we observe non-diffraction over a propagation distance above three orders of magnitude greater than expected from the skyrmion subwavelength size. We thus provide a factual, real-world form of ideal non-diffracting propagation. This form substantially differs from previous forms of light propagation, including propagating optical skyrmions known to date, and could open up new perspectives in its various applications.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

The quantum double of the restricted quantum group $\mathbf{\overline{u}}_q(\mathfrak{sl_2})$

In this paper, we construct the quantum double $D(\mathbf{\overline{u}}_q(\mathfrak{sl_2}))$ of the restricted quantum group $\mathbf{\overline{u}}_q(\mathfrak{sl_2})$. We describe the algebraic structure of $D(\mathbf{\overline{u}}_q(\mathfrak{sl_2}))$ by generators and relations. Moreover, we give the comultiplication $Δ$, the counit $\varepsilon$ and the antipode $S$, respectively. Finally, we classify all irreducible representations of $D(\mathbf{\overline{u}}_q(\mathfrak{sl_2}))$ when $p=2$.

math.QA↗

arXiv2026

Alignment-Free Nanometric Optical Metrology Enabled by Structured Light

Advances in the semiconductor industry are driven by the development of increasingly compact devices featuring intricate etched geometries, the characterization of which essentially requires ultraprecise, label-free, and real-time metrology. However, non-destructive and alignment-free optical metrology of sub-wavelength structures with nanometric resolution remains a major challenge. Here, we demonstrate a novel single-shot, label-free, and alignment-free optical metrology approach for determining the 1D position of sub-wavelength nanostructures, achieving lambda/110 (7.2 nm) precision. The high precision benefits from utilizing structured illuminations of Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) or Hermite-Gaussian (HG) beams, and the AI analyzing method can retrieve the information when such structured light interacts with sub-wavelength objects. Instead of relying on phase singularities in superoscillatory microscopy, our approach leverages spatially distributed phase jumps in HG and LG beams interacting with the nanostructures, providing an alignment-robust solution to the challenges in optical metrology. Such an alignment-free, non-destructive, and high-precision metrology technique enables real-time machine vision, semiconductor inspection, and advanced manufacturing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

High-speed electrically driven liquid-crystal compact optical skyrmion encoder

Optical skyrmions possess topological polarization textures that can maintain topological robustness under external perturbations, making them promising carriers for disturbance-resistant optical information transmission. However, existing optical skyrmion generation schemes mostly rely on static optical elements or fixed nanostructures, making high-speed dynamic switching of the topological state difficult. Here, we propose a high-speed switchable optical skyrmion generator based on a patterned liquid-crystal spin-orbit device. The device employs the in-plane orientation of liquid crystals to imprint a fixed Pancharatnam-Berry geometric phase, while an applied voltage rapidly tunes the liquid-crystal retardance, enabling reversible switching between skyrmion and non-skyrmion states. Experimental results show that the device exhibits millisecond electrical response, with bidirectional response times of 1.76 ms and 0.72 ms, corresponding to an ideal cycling rate of approximately 403 Hz, making it the fastest switchable optical skyrmion generator to date. Furthermore, by exploiting this rapid topological refreshing capability, we demonstrate image encoding and decoding, providing a new liquid-crystal device platform for high-speed, refreshable, and disturbance-resistant topological optical information transmission.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Can non-orthogonal bases form stable skyrmionic beams?

Skyrmions, topologically stable spin textures, have recently garnered significant attention in optics promising robust high-density information transition and nontrivial light-matter interaction. It was believed that the optical skyrmionic beams should be constructed by superposition of two orthogonal spatial modes with orthogonal polarizations to obtain topologically stable propagation. Here, we surprisingly find that propagation-stable skyrmionic beams can still be formed by superpositions of neither orthogonal spatial modes nor orthogonal polarizations. We theoretically present the mechanism to control the stable skyrmionics beams through the hybrid superposition of modes from the Hermite-Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian families and experimentally control the longitudinal on-demand dynamics of the skyrmions. This work redefines the topological stability of optical skyrmions, breaks limits and reduces the requirement for manipulating topologically structured light for practical multidimensional implementation of topologically robust information technologies.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Extreme Energy Concentration of Band-Limited Superoscillatory Vortices for Efficient Optical Micromanipulation

The Abbe diffraction limit, tied to the fundamental spatial bandwidth constraint imposed by any physical aperture, remains the primary barrier to achieving ultimate far-field optical resolution and precise light-matter interactions. However, current efforts to engineer structured light fields beyond this limit often come at the cost of massive sacrifices in energy efficiency. In this work, we mathematically complete the family of non-zero azimuthal-order Circular Prolate Spheroidal Wave Functions (CPSWFs), introducing them as a complete class of band-limited superoscillatory optical vortices carrying helical phase. Compared with classical Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams, we rigorously prove that these eigenmodes achieve the theoretical upper bound for extreme energy concentration under strict band-limited constraints. At the scale of light-matter interactions, this optimal concentration directly amplifies the intensity gradients and angular momentum densities that govern optical forces. This advantage translates directly into a 29.9% reduction in the trapping power threshold and a 2.3-fold increase in the subdiffraction orbital rotation speed of nanoparticles. Looking forward, this fundamental physical framework not only establishes strict mathematical boundaries for structured light fields but also serves as an absolute theoretical benchmark for deep-learning inverse design, and next-generation extreme optical micro-manipulation systems.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Toroidal helical pulses

Toroidal topologies and helicity are pervasive in nature and hold basic importance in scientific research. In particular, the interplay between these features gives rise to fascinating toroidal helical electromagnetic excitations. Here, we present a theoretical framework and experimental realization to introduce a family of toroidal helical pulses, exploring the intersection of the helicity and propagating toroidal modes. For this purpose, we propose a configuration combining a coaxial horn emitter and an equiangular spiral grating to directly generate such single-cycle pulses. In addition to their inherent non-transverse toroidal topology and space-time nonseparability, such pulses also possess controllable helicity. This work gives rise to a helical version of propagating toroidal electrodynamics, thereby paving the way for advanced applications, such as nontrivial light-matter interactions and data transfer.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Optical hopfions with arbitrary two winding numbers

Hopfions, as three-dimensional topologically nontrivial structures described by poloidal and toroidal winding numbers, hold promise as robust information carriers in spintronics, functional materials, and optical communications. Although they have been experimentally realized in various physical systems, such realizations have been restricted to low orders, with the winding numbers lacking tunability. Here, using optical fields as our platform, we outline how to make tunable hopfions in any order with any winding number. We use tailored superpositions of Laguerre-Gaussian modes in free-space as our construction, achieving effective control for arbitrary-order poloidal and toroidal winding numbers, which we demonstrate up to orders 5 and 3, respectively, for a new state-of-the-art. The resulting torus-knot structures are visualized experimentally via polarization filaments, confirming the designed topological textures. Our work reports an exotic optical topologies observed in free space, provides a systematic route hopfions of any order, with implications for topological photonics, optical communications, and analogies in magnetic and condensed-matter systems.

physics.optics↗