Unconventional Floquet topological phases in the SSH lattice

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method to dynamically induce and switch Floquet topological phases in the SSH lattice using high-frequency driving and pulse modulation, enabling energy-efficient control of topological states.

Contribution

It introduces a new approach to realize and control Floquet topological phases in the SSH model through experimental pulse protocols and effective Hamiltonian encoding.

Findings

Fast-beating modulations require lower field strengths than monochromatic driving.

Both monochromatic and pulse protocols can induce topological edge states.

Dynamic phase switching is achievable with the proposed methods.

Abstract

Topological materials, known for their edge states robust against local perturbations, hold promise for next-generation quantum technologies, but remain scarce in nature and challenging to realize in static systems. The Su-Schrieffer-Heeger chain is a one-dimensional system for topological phases, although its static control is limited. To overcome these limitations, we propose to use high-frequency monochromatic driving and modulated amplitude pulses to dynamically induce and switch the Floquet topological phases. Using a Kramers-Henneberger-like transformation, we encode all Floquet sidebands into a single effective Hamiltonian. We demonstrate that both monochromatic and experimental pulse protocols (Gaussian and fast-beating envelopes) can induce topological edge states, enabling dynamic phase switching. Notably, fast-beating modulations require significantly lower field strengths than monochromatic ones, especially with larger inter-dimer separations. Our findings offer an experimentally feasible route for Floquet engineering, paving the way for ultrafast and energy efficient control of topological phases in quantum platforms, opening up new possibilities in the field of dynamic quantum materials.