Acoustic Metamaterials with Positive and Negative Couplings: Modular and One Piece Architectures for Topological Models

TL;DR

This paper presents 3D-printed acoustic metamaterials with modular and integrated designs that realize positive and negative couplings, enabling topological models like SSH and Kitaev chains with observable edge states.

Contribution

It introduces two novel 3D-printing architectures for acoustic topological models, controlling coupling types and strengths to emulate complex quantum systems.

Findings

Successfully demonstrated topological edge states in acoustic SSH and Kitaev chains.

Controlled coupling via geometric parameters to preserve symmetry and topology.

Validated the effectiveness of modular and integrated designs in acoustic topological simulations.

Abstract

We describe two 3D-printing approaches for realizing tight-binding models in acoustic metamaterials using H-shaped resonators: a modular system with tunable interconnections and an integrated one-piece design for reducing dissipation. The platform supports both positive and negative coupling through geometric control, enabling accurate acoustic analogs of topological models. By tuning the coupling length (CL), we eliminate detuning effects and preserve particle-hole symmetry. We further quantify the influence of the Total Coupling Area (TCA) on band topology and derive conditions for constant-area coupling. The system was tested on SSH and Kitaev chains, revealing midgap edge and interface states, confirming topological behavior in both configurations.