A simple scheme to realize the Rice-Mele model in acoustic system

TL;DR

This paper presents a straightforward method to realize the Rice-Mele topological model in acoustic systems by linearly tuning on-site potentials and couplings, enabling observation of topological pumping.

Contribution

The work introduces a universal, precise tuning strategy for acoustic metamaterials to implement the Rice-Mele model and observe topological phenomena.

Findings

Successful realization of the Rice-Mele model in acoustics

Observation of a Thouless pump in the acoustic system

Effective linear control of on-site potentials and couplings

Abstract

The Rice-Mele (RM) model, as a paradigmatic extension of the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) chain, plays a pivotal role in understanding topological phases and quantized adiabatic transport in one-dimensional systems. Its realization in acoustic systems, however, has been hindered by the need for simultaneous precise modulation of on-site potentials and couplings. In this work, we demonstrate a method to linearly tune on-site potentials and couplings, thus realizing an acoustic Rice-Mele model. During parameter evolution, the system exhibits a Thouless pump, with the acoustic field distribution adiabatically shifting from the left edge through the bulk to the right edge, fully consistent with tight-binding model predictions. Moreover, the strategy of leveraging geometric parameters to linearly and precisely control on-site potentials and couplings is highly effective and universal for designing acoustic metamaterials, and it can be extended to other classical wave systems.