Topological defects in 1D elastic waves

TL;DR

This paper experimentally demonstrates topological defects creating localized elastic wave states in 1D rods and explores how varying defect parameters can produce multiple localized states.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental realization of topological defect-induced localized states in elastic waves and numerically investigates multiple localized states with parameter variation.

Findings

Experimental confirmation of localized states due to topological defects in elastic rods

Multiple localized states can be achieved by tuning defect parameters

Topological defect effects extend to elastic wave systems

Abstract

It has been recently shown theoretically that a topological defect in a 1D periodic potential may give rise to two localized states within the energy gaps. In this work we present an experimental realization of this effect for the case of torsional waves in elastic rods. We also show numerically that three, or even more, localized states can be present if the parameters characterizing the topological defect are suitably varied.