Generation and propagation of topological solitons in a chain of coupled parametric-micromechanical-resonator arrays

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical and numerical generation and propagation of topological solitons in a chain of coupled parametric micromechanical resonators, demonstrating their topological protection and controllability.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to generate and control topological solitons in resonator arrays using parametric oscillations, with detailed analysis of their dynamics and potential for on-chip applications.

Findings

Topological solitons are topologically protected boundary states.

Propagation can be triggered by phase switching of a single resonator.

Damping, collisions, and symmetry lifting affect soliton dynamics.

Abstract

Using a coupled parametric-resonator array for generating and propagating a topological soliton in its rotating-frame phase space is theoretically and numerically investigated. In an analogy with the well-known phi4 model, the existence of a soliton is topologically protected as the boundary of two different phase domains of parametric oscillation. Numerical simulation indicates that the propagation can be triggered by switching of the phase state of one specific resonator, and the effects of damping, collision, and the symmetry lifting by harmonic drive on the propagation dynamics are studied. The topological soliton can be implemented by using electromechanical resonators, which allow its propagation dynamics to be precisely electrically controlled and provide a fully controlled on-chip test bed for the study of a topological soliton.