Topological phase transition measured in a dissipative metamaterial

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that dissipation in a radio-frequency metamaterial can induce topologically distinct phases characterized by quantized bulk energy transport, expanding the scope of topological phenomena in physical systems.

Contribution

The paper introduces a dissipative metamaterial that exhibits topological phase transitions, with experimental measurement of band structure and winding number.

Findings

Identification of two topologically distinct phases due to engineered dissipation

Quantized bulk energy transport associated with different phases

Dissipation enables topological transport in a broader class of systems

Abstract

We construct a metamaterial from radio-frequency harmonic oscillators, and find two topologically distinct phases resulting from dissipation engineered into the system. These phases are distinguished by a quantized value of bulk energy transport. The impulse response of our circuit is measured and used to reconstruct the band structure and winding number of circuit eigenfunctions around a dark mode. Our results demonstrate that dissipation can lead to topological transport in a much wider class of physical systems than considered before.