A new class of higher-order topological insulators that localize energy at arbitrary multiple sites

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new class of higher-order topological insulators with localized energy states at arbitrary sites, achieved through local aperiodic chains, enabling programmable signal enhancement without structural changes.

Contribution

It demonstrates that multiple topological states can be realized in local aperiodic chains, expanding the design of topological insulators beyond nonlocal systems.

Findings

Topological states can be inherited from nonlocal to local aperiodic chains.

Localized 0D topological states can be positioned arbitrarily within the insulator.

The approach enables programmable lasers and sensors by site-specific excitation.

Abstract

$\mathbb{Z}$-classified topological phases lead to larger-than-unity topological states. However, these multiple topological states are only localized at the corners in nonlocal systems. Here, first, we rigorously prove that the multiple topological states of nonlocal Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) chains can be inherited and realized by local aperiodic chains with only the nearest couplings. Then, we report a new class of higher-order topological insulators constructed with the local aperiodic chains, which can have any integer number of 0D topological states localized at arbitrary positions in the whole domain of the insulators, including within the bulk. The 0D topological states are protected by the local topological marker in each direction, instead of the bulk multipole chiral numbers in the existing work. Our work provides multiple combinations of localized corner-bulk topological states, which enables programmable lasers and sasers by selecting the excitation sites without altering the structure, and thus opens a new avenue to signal enhancement for computing and sensing.