Switchable topological phonon channels

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method to create switchable topological phonon channels in metamaterials by using local symmetry breaking potentials, enabling controllable energy guiding for applications.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach to manipulate topological phonon channels through local symmetry breaking, addressing a gap in practical control of topological metamaterials.

Findings

Demonstrates switchable phonon channels via symmetry breaking

Enables controllable energy guiding in metamaterials

Provides a new tool for topological device engineering

Abstract

Guiding energy deliberately is one of the central elements in engineering and information processing. It is often achieved by designing specific transport channels in a suitable material. Topological metamaterials offer a way to construct stable and efficient channels of unprecedented versatility. However, due to their stability it can be tricky to terminate them or to temporarily shut them off without changing the material properties massively. While a lot of effort was put into realizing mechanical topological metamaterials, almost no works deal with manipulating their edge channels in sight of applications. Here, we take a step in this direction, by taking advantage of local symmetry breaking potentials to build a switchable topological phonon channel.