Topological Photonic Phase in Chiral Hyperbolic Metamaterials

Wenlong Gao, Mark Lawrence, Biao Yang, Fu Liu, Fengzhou Fang, Benjamin Béri, Jensen Li, and Shuang Zhang
Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 037402 – Published 22 January 2015
PDFHTMLExport Citation

Abstract

Recently, the possibility of achieving one-way backscatter immune transportation of light by mimicking the topological properties of certain solid state systems, such as topological insulators, has received much attention. Thus far, however, demonstrations of nontrivial topology in photonics have relied on photonic crystals with precisely engineered lattice structures, periodic on the scale of the operational wavelength and composed of finely tuned, complex materials. Here we propose a novel effective medium approach towards achieving topologically protected photonic surface states robust against disorder on all length scales and for a wide range of material parameters. Remarkably, the nontrivial topology of our metamaterial design results from the Berry curvature arising from the transversality of electromagnetic waves in a homogeneous medium. Our investigation therefore acts to bridge the gap between the advancing field of topological band theory and classical optical phenomena such as the spin Hall effect of light. The effective medium route to topological phases will pave the way for highly compact one-way transportation of electromagnetic waves in integrated photonic circuits.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 7 July 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.037402

© 2015 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Wenlong Gao1,2, Mark Lawrence1, Biao Yang1, Fu Liu3, Fengzhou Fang2, Benjamin Béri1, Jensen Li1, and Shuang Zhang1,*

  • 1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
  • 2State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
  • 3Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

  • *s.zhang@bham.ac.uk

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

Supplemental Material (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 114, Iss. 3 — 23 January 2015

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×