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Photonic Anomalous Quantum Hall Effect

Sunil Mittal, Venkata Vikram Orre, Daniel Leykam, Y. D. Chong, and Mohammad Hafezi
Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 043201 – Published 23 July 2019
Physics logo See Synopsis: Topological Behavior Spotted in Photonic Systems
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Abstract

We experimentally realize a photonic analogue of the anomalous quantum Hall insulator using a two-dimensional (2D) array of coupled ring resonators. Similar to the Haldane model, our 2D array is translation invariant, has a zero net gauge flux threading the lattice, and exploits next-nearest neighbor couplings to achieve a topologically nontrivial band gap. Using direct imaging and on-chip transmission measurements, we show that the band gap hosts topologically robust edge states. We demonstrate a topological phase transition to a conventional insulator by frequency detuning the ring resonators and thereby breaking the inversion symmetry of the lattice. Furthermore, the clockwise or the counterclockwise circulation of photons in the ring resonators constitutes a pseudospin degree of freedom. The two pseudospins acquire opposite hopping phases, and their respective edge states propagate in opposite directions. These results are promising for the development of robust reconfigurable integrated nanophotonic devices for applications in classical and quantum information processing.

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  • Received 1 April 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.043201

© 2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Atomic, Molecular & Optical

Synopsis

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Topological Behavior Spotted in Photonic Systems

Published 23 July 2019

Two groups of researchers engineered semiconductor systems that sustain exotic phases of matter.

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Authors & Affiliations

Sunil Mittal1,2,*, Venkata Vikram Orre1,2, Daniel Leykam3, Y. D. Chong4,5, and Mohammad Hafezi1,2,6

  • 1Joint Quantum Institute, NIST/University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
  • 2Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and IREAP, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
  • 3Center for Theoretical Physics of Complex Systems, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 34126, Republic of Korea
  • 4Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
  • 5Centre for Disruptive Photonic Technologies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
  • 6Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA

  • *mittals@umd.edu

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Issue

Vol. 123, Iss. 4 — 26 July 2019

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