Bulk-hole correspondence and inner robust boundary modes in singular flatband lattices

TL;DR

This paper introduces the concept of bulk-hole correspondence in singular flatband lattices, revealing inner boundary modes linked to holes in the lattice, supported by experimental observations in photonic Kagome lattices.

Contribution

It establishes a universal relation between inner robust boundary modes and holes in singular flatband lattices, supported by theoretical and experimental evidence.

Findings

Inner RBMs are experimentally observed in Kagome lattices.

The number of flatband states equals the sum of localized states and inner RBMs.

The bulk-hole correspondence is universal across lattice shapes.

Abstract

Topological entities based on bulk-boundary correspondence are ubiquitous, from conventional to higher-order topological insulators, where the protected states are typically localized at the outer boundaries (edges or corners). A less explored scenario involves protected states that are localized at the inner boundaries, sharing the same energy as the bulk states. Here, we propose and demonstrate what we refer to as the bulk-hole correspondence - a relation between the inner robust boundary modes (RBMs) and the existence of multiple "holes" in singular flatband lattices, mediated by the immovable discontinuity of the bulk Bloch wavefunctions. We find that the number of independent flatband states always equals the sum of the number of independent compact localized states and the number of nontrivial inner RBMs, as captured by the Betti number that also counts the hole number from topological data analysis. This correspondence is universal for singular flatband lattices, regardless of the lattice shape and the hole shape. Using laser-written Kagome lattices as a platform, we experimentally observe such inner RBMs, demonstrating their real-space topological nature and robustness. Our results may extend to other singular flatband systems beyond photonics, including non-Euclidean lattices, providing a new approach for understanding nontrivial flatband states and topology in hole-bearing lattice systems.