Controlled transport based on multiorbital Aharonov-Bohm photonic caging

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates controlled photonic transport using multiorbital Aharonov-Bohm caging in a synthetic magnetic field on a diamond lattice, enabling precise manipulation of light dynamics in photonic lattices.

Contribution

It introduces a method to generate effective magnetic fluxes in multiorbital photonic lattices and experimentally observes Aharonov-Bohm caging with controlled transport capabilities.

Findings

Observation of Aharonov-Bohm caging for S and P modes

Implementation of a z-scan method on femtosecond laser written lattices

Controlled, linear transport of light across the lattice

Abstract

The induction of synthetic magnetic fields on lattice structures allows to effectively control their localization and transport properties. In this work, we generate effective $\pi$ magnetic fluxes on a multi-orbital diamond lattice, where first ($S$) and second ($P$) order modes effectively interact. We implement a $z$-scan method on femtosecond laser written photonic lattices and experimentally observe Aharonov-Bohm caging for $S$ and $P$ modes, as a consequence of a band transformation and the emergence of a spectrum composed of three degenerated flat bands. As an application, we demonstrate a perfect control of the dynamics, where we translate an input excitation across the lattice in a completely linear and controlled way. Our model, based on a flat band spectrum, allows us to choose the direction of transport depending on the excitation site or input phase.