Photonic topological phase transition on demand

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a method to achieve switchable topological phase transitions in photonic systems using a 2D array of coupled ring resonators with thermal control, enabling dynamic manipulation of topologically protected modes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach for on-demand, controllable topological phase transitions in photonics through integrated thermal and spatial phase modulation.

Findings

Successful demonstration of switchable topological phases in photonic resonator arrays.

Control over topologically protected edge modes via thermal and phase modulation.

Potential applications in robust photonic memory, logic, and switching devices.

Abstract

On-demand, switchable phase transitions between topologically non-trivial and trivial photonic states are demonstrated. Specifically, it is shown that integration of a 2D array of coupled ring resonators within a thermal heater array enables unparalleled control over topological protection of photonic modes. Importantly, auxiliary control over spatial phase modulation opens up a way to guide topologically protected edge modes along generated virtual boundaries. The proposed approach can lead to practical realizations of topological phase transitions in many photonic applications, including topologically protected photonic memory/logic devices, robust optical modulators, and switches.