Twisted multilayer moir\'e water waves topologically robust to disorder

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel water wave platform to study moiré patterns with topological properties, demonstrating the creation and robustness of skyrmionic water wave lattices in multilayer configurations.

Contribution

It pioneers the experimental realization of moiré superlattices with topological water waves, revealing enhanced stability in trilayer structures and establishing water waves as a versatile platform for topological physics.

Findings

Trilayer moiré superlattices show greater stability than bilayer.

Water wave skyrmion lattices can be precisely generated and manipulated.

Topological robustness persists under spatiotemporal perturbations.

Abstract

Moir\'e patterns, stacking and twisting multilayer periodic lattices into superlattices, have become cornerstones of many physical systems from condensed matter to wave phenomena, but have never been properly studied in water waves. Here, we demonstrate twisted multilayer moir\'e water surface waves carrying robust skyrmionic topologies. Using a custom water tank of circular multi-channel phased array, we precisely generate water-wave skyrmion lattices and superimpose them into moir\'e superlattices with higher-order topological textures, e.g., skyrmion bags and clusters, programmed via the twist angle. We also quantitatively compare the topological robustness of bilayer and trilayer configurations under spatiotemporal perturbations. The trilayer moir\'e superlattices exhibit more enhanced stability, stronger field localization and energy concentration than the bilayer. Our work establishes water waves as a macroscopic, tunable, and visually accessible platform for moir\'e physics, towards robust particle manipulation and classical analogues of topological quantum phenomena.