arXiv subjects

Yudong Ren

Publications and source records attributed to Yudong Ren.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Self-healing topological streams in space-time

Topological states are renowned for their robustness against perturbations. Recent advances have further introduced momentum-gap (or time) topology in time-varying media, enabling temporal topological states. However, existing studies for momentum-gap topology are largely confined to non-propagating interface states; their potential for wave transport, especially at moving boundaries, has yet to be realized. Here, we experimentally demonstrate topological streams in space-time: space-time topological edge states that propagate along a moving boundary in a dynamically modulated time-synthetic photonic lattice. These streams arise from the coexistence of energy-gap and momentum-gap topologies and break both spatial and temporal translation symmetries, conserving neither energy nor momentum. Remarkably, they reconstruct their wave profiles after strong localized spatiotemporal obstacles, enabled by an imaginary quasienergy gap and kinematic decoupling from radiative bulk channels. Our results establish a form of self-healing spatiotemporal non-Hermitian protection, showing that the temporal dimension can transform topology from pinned states and isolated events into robust, directional and self-restoring wave transport.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Non-diffusion transport in decoherent non-Hermitian quasicrystals

Disorder and coherence jointly govern wave transport in complex media. In Hermitian systems, a long-established paradigm since Anderson's work holds that disorder-induced localization relies on phase-coherent interference, and that the loss of coherence inevitably suppresses localization and restores featureless diffusive transport at long times. Whether this intuition remains valid in non-Hermitian systems, where transport can be governed by dissipation rather than interference, has remained largely open. Here we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that this paradigm fundamentally breaks down in decoherent non-Hermitian quasicrystals. Using a programmable photonic lattice with independently engineered dissipation and fully programmable dephasing, we access regimes spanning from fully coherent to fully incoherent dynamics. While decoherence washes out localization and enforces structureless diffusion in Hermitian lattices, we find that decoherent non-Hermitian quasicrystals retain nontrivial, non-diffusive transport structures even in the incoherent limit. These include dissipation-induced localization, diffusion-localization transitions, and decoherence-induced mobility edges, phenomena with no counterparts in Hermitian disordered systems. We develop a unified theoretical framework that captures the ensemble-averaged dynamics across the entire coherence landscape, continuously connecting coherent and incoherent regimes, and reveals how dissipation and decoherence cooperate to shape transport. Our results establish decoherent non-Hermitian lattices as a distinct class of transport systems, in which dissipation and incoherence generate structured, non-diffusive phases, beyond the conventional Anderson picture.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

A scalable and programmable optical neural network in a time-synthetic dimension

Programmable optical neural networks (ONNs) can offer high-throughput and energy-efficient solutions for accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) computing. However, existing ONN architectures, typically based on cascaded unitary transformations such as Mach-Zehnder interferometer meshes, face inherent scalability limitations due to spatial encoding, which causes optical components and system complexity to scale quadratically with network size. A promising solution to this challenge is the use of synthetic dimensions to enhance scalability, though experimental demonstration has remained scarce. Here, we present the first experimental demonstration of an all-optical, highly scalable, programmable ONN operating in a time-synthetic dimension. By implementing a time-cycle computation paradigm analogous to gate cycling in conventional spatial photonic circuits, our approach achieves a gate count surpassing that of state-of-the-art programmable photonic processors. Unlike conventional ONN architectures that rely on real-space wave interferences, our framework exploits time-reflection and time-refraction to perform computations, fundamentally eliminating backscattering errors through causality constraints. To bridge the gap between simulation and reality, we introduce an in-situ training framework that dynamically adapts to experimental errors, achieving performance exceeding traditional in silico learning paradigms. Our synthetic-dimension-based approach provides a compact, scalable, backscattering-free, and programmable neuromorphic computing architecture, advancing the potential for next-generation photonic AI systems.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Observation of Custodial Chiral Symmetry in Memristive Topological Insulators

The concept of custodial symmetry, a residual symmetry that protects physical observables from large quantum corrections, has been a cornerstone of high-energy physics, but its experimental observation has remained unexplored. Building on recent theoretical work [Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 097701 (2022)], we report the first experimental observation of classical analog of custodial chiral symmetry in a memristive Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) circuit. We provide direct experimental evidence for custodial symmetry through the measurement of the correction to the Lagrangian. This Lagrangian correction, which mimics a mass term in field theory, vanishes smoothly as the perturbation is reduced. We also demonstrate that topological edge states in the memristive SSH circuit remain localized at the boundary, protected by custodial chiral symmetry. This work opens new avenues for emulating field-theoretic symmetries and nonlinear dynamics in memristive platforms.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Realization of Weyl elastic metamaterials with spin skyrmions

Topological elastic metamaterials provide a topologically robust way to manipulate the phononic energy and information beyond the conventional approaches. Among various topological elastic metamaterials, Weyl elastic metamaterials stand out, as they are unique to three dimensions and exhibit numerous intriguing phenomena and potential applications. To date, however, the realization of Weyl elastic metamaterials remains elusive, primarily due to the full-vectoral nature of elastic waves and the complicated couplings between polarizations, leading to complicated and tangled three-dimensional (3D) bandstructures that unfavorable for experimental demonstration. Here, we overcome the challenge and realize an ideal, 3D printed, all-metallic Weyl elastic metamaterial with low dissipation losses. Notably, the elastic spin of the excitations around the Weyl points exhibits skyrmion textures, a topologically stable structure in real space. Utilizing 3D laser vibrometry, we reveal the projection of the Weyl points, the Fermi arcs and the unique spin characteristics of the topological surface states. Our work extends the Weyl metamaterials to elastic waves and paves a topological way to robust manipulation of elastic waves in 3D space.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2024

Three-dimensional topological valley photonics

Topological valley photonics, which exploits valley degree of freedom to manipulate electromagnetic waves, offers a practical and effective pathway for various classical and quantum photonic applications across the entire spectrum. Current valley photonics, however, has been limited to two dimensions, which typically suffer from out-of-plane losses and can only manipulate the flow of light in planar geometries. Here, we have theoretically and experimentally developed a framework of three-dimensional (3D) topological valley photonics with a complete photonic bandgap and vectorial valley contrasting physics. Unlike the two-dimensional counterparts with a pair of valleys characterized by scalar valley Chern numbers, the 3D valley systems exhibit triple pairs of valleys characterized by valley Chern vectors, enabling the creation of vectorial bulk valley vortices and canalized chiral valley surface states. Notably, the valley Chern vectors and the circulating propagation direction of the valley surface states are intrinsically governed by the right-hand-thumb rule. Our findings reveal the vectorial nature of the 3D valley states and highlight their potential applications in 3D waveguiding, directional radiation, and imaging.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Observation of temporal topological boundary states of light in a momentum bandgap

Topological phases have prevailed across diverse disciplines, spanning electronics, photonics, and acoustics. Hitherto, the understanding of these phases has centred on energy (frequency) bandstructures, showcasing topological boundary states at spatial interfaces. Recent strides have uncovered a unique category of bandstructures characterized by gaps in momentum, referred to as momentum bandgaps or k gaps, notably driven by breakthroughs in photonic time crystals. This discovery hints at abundant topological phases defined within momentum bands, alongside a wealth of topological boundary states in the time domain. Here, we report the first experimental observation of k-gap topology in a large-scale optical temporal synthetic lattice, manifesting as temporal topological boundary states. These boundary states are uniquely situated at temporal interfaces between two subsystems with distinct k-gap topology. Counterintuitively, despite the exponential amplification of k-gap modes within both subsystems, these topological boundary states exhibit decay in both temporal directions. Our findings mark a significant pathway for delving into k gaps, temporal topological states, and time-varying physics.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

Real higher-order Weyl photonic crystal

Higher-order Weyl semimetals are a family of recently predicted topological phases simultaneously showcasing unconventional properties derived from Weyl points, such as chiral anomaly, and multidimensional topological phenomena originating from higher-order topology. The higher-order Weyl semimetal phases, with their higher-order topology arising from quantized dipole or quadrupole bulk polarizations, have been demonstrated in phononics and circuits. Here, we experimentally discover a class of higher-order Weyl semimetal phase in a three-dimensional photonic crystal (PhC), exhibiting the concurrence of the surface and hinge Fermi arcs from the nonzero Chern number and the nontrivial generalized real Chern number, respectively, coined a real higher-order Weyl PhC. Notably, the projected two-dimensional subsystem with kz = 0 is a real Chern insulator, belonging to the Stiefel-Whitney class with real Bloch wavefunctions, which is distinguished fundamentally from the Chern class with complex Bloch wavefunctions. Our work offers an ideal photonic platform for exploring potential applications and material properties associated with the higher-order Weyl points and the Stiefel-Whitney class of topological phases.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗