Topologically Protected Photonic Modes in Composite Quantum Hall/Quantum Spin Hall Waveguides

ORAL

Abstract

Photonic topological insulators (PTI) are a new class of structures that can support backscattering-free propagating waves at an interface between topologically non-trivial structures. In the bi-anisotropic meta-waveguide (BMW) PTI designs, by carefully tuning the geometrical and electromagnetic properties, we can emulate the electronic quantum spin Hall (QSH) effect using its electromagnetic analog. A magneto-optical material added to the structure will introduce a quantum Hall (QH) photonic bulk insulator on the BMW basis. The combined photonic systems with multiple topological phases supporting reflection-free edgemodes are proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The spin degree of freedom of such topologically protected edgemodes determines their unique pathways through these systems, free from backscattering and able to travel around sharp corners. As an example of their novel properties, we demonstrate a full 4-port circulator based on composite QH and QSH back-scattering free waveguides.

*This work was supported by ONR Grant No. N000141512134, AFOSR COE Grant FA9550-15-1-0171, DOE under grant DESC 0018788, the NSF under Grants No. DMR-1120923, No. PHY-1415547 and No. ECCS-1158644.

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Presenters

  • Shukai Ma

    • Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park

Authors

  • Shukai Ma

    • Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park

  • Bo Xiao

    • Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland

  • Yang Yu

    • Cornell University

  • Kueifu Lai

    • Cornell University

  • Gennady Shvets

    • Cornell University
    • Cornell university

  • Steven Anlage

    • Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park
    • University of Maryland, College Park
    • Department of Physics and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park
    • Physics Department, University of Maryland, College Park