Axion topology in photonic crystal domain walls
Axion insulators are 3D magnetic topological insulators supporting hinge states and quantized magnetoelectric effects, recently proposed for detecting dark-matter axionic particles via their axionic excitations. Beyond theoretical interest, obtaining a photonic counterpart of axion insulators offers potential for advancing magnetically-tunable photonic devices and axion haloscopes based on axion-photon conversion. This work proposes an axionic 3D phase within a photonic setup. By building inversion-symmetric domain-walls in gyrotropic photonic crystals, we bind chiral modes on inversion-related hinges, ultimately leading to the realization of an axionic channel of light. These states propagate embedded in a 3D structure, thus protected from radiation in the continuum. Employing a small external gyromagnetic bias, we transition across different axionic mode configurations, enabling effective topological switching of chiral photonic fibers. While demonstrating the possibility of realizing axion photonic crystals within state-of-the-art gyrotropic setups, we propose a general scheme for rendering axion topology at domain walls of Weyl semimetals.
Authors
- Maia G. Vergniory (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7336-3062)
- Iñigo Robredo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1641-354X)
- Chiara Devescovi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2321-6421)
- Yoonseok Hwang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8784-7495)
- Barry Bradlyn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6327-1076)
- Juan L. Mañes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9337-7215)
- Aitzol García‐Etxarri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5867-2390)
- Mikel García‐Díez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5035-7767)
- Antonio Morales-Pérez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1482-6407)
Institutions
- Ikerbasque (ES)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
- University of the Basque Country (ES)
- ETH Zurich (CH)
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering (CH)
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (DE)
- Donostia International Physics Center (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2024-08-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50766-3
- Citations
- 17
- Primary Topic
- Topological Materials and Phenomena
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 5.74
Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Eusko Jaurlaritza
- Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
- Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative
- European Regional Development Fund
- Agencia Estatal de Investigación
- Office of Naval Research