Topological photonics is a field which seeks to explore how light can be used to behave in analogous ways to electrons in condensed matter physics. This field is motivating not only because it can replicate old things in new ways, but possibly change our fundamental understanding of how light can be manipulated. Furthermore, topological photonics are insensitive to certain types of defects and disorders, and this feature is very promising for a broad range of photonic applications.
However, topological photonic systems can suffer from limitations, such as breakdown of topological properties due to their symmetry-protected origin and radiative leakage.
New work recently reported by Anton Vakulenko, Svetlana Kiriushechkina, Daria Smirnova, Dr. Sriram Guddala, Filipp Komissarenko, Andrea Alù, Monica Allen, Jeffery Allen, and Alexander Khanikaev, helps to overcome some of these issues by introducing adiabatic topological photonic interfaces. (In photonics, adiabatic refers to a smooth and slow changing parameter.)
This research was performed in part at Advanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY, The Graduate Center, City University of New York The City University of New York (CUNY ASRC) using an STS-Elionix ELS-G100 electron beam lithography system.
Image: Scanning electron microscope image of a nanometer scale triangular metasurface pattern etched into a silicon film. (Courtesy Svetlana Kiriushechkina).
For more information see https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40238-5
