Observation of two-dimensional time-reversal broken non-Abelian topological states

Abstract Going beyond the conventional theory, non-Abelian band topology reveals the global quantum geometry of multiple Bloch bands and unveils a new paradigm for topological physics. However, to date, experimental studies on non-Abelian topological states beyond one dimension are still restricted...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yuze Hu, Mingyu Tong, Tian Jiang, Jian-Hua Jiang, Hongsheng Chen, Yihao Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54403-x
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Summary:Abstract Going beyond the conventional theory, non-Abelian band topology reveals the global quantum geometry of multiple Bloch bands and unveils a new paradigm for topological physics. However, to date, experimental studies on non-Abelian topological states beyond one dimension are still restricted to systems with time-reversal ( $${{\mathcal{T}}}$$ T ) symmetry. Here, exploiting a designer gyromagnetic photonic crystal, we find rich $${{\mathcal{T}}}$$ T -broken non-Abelian topological phases and their transitions with an unexpected connection to multigap antichiral edge states. By in-situ tuning the magnetic field in the gyromagnetic photonic crystal, we can create, braid, merge, and split the non-Abelian topological nodes in a unique way. Alongside this process, the multigap antichiral edge states can be tuned versatilely, giving rise to topological edge waveguiding with frequency-dependent directionality. These findings open a new avenue for non-Abelian topological physics and topological photonics.
ISSN:2041-1723