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Published on: February 25, 2017
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Topological supermodes in photonic crystal fiber
Nathan Roberts1,2, Guido Baardink1, Josh Nunn1,2,3
1Department of Physics, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
Science Advances
|December 21, 2022
Summary
We demonstrate topological states in optical fiber for robust light transport. This scalable platform allows for reversible reconfiguration and exploration of topological phenomena in photonic networks.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Photonics
Background:
- Topological states offer robust transport in disordered media via integer invariants.
- Exploiting topological protection in scalable platforms like optical fiber remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate topological supermodes in multi-core optical fiber.
- To investigate the topological protection and mechanical reconfigurability of these states.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling and experimental validation of topological states in optical fiber.
- Direct measurement of the photonic winding number invariant.
- Observation of light guidance and effects of mechanical bending on topological states.
Main Results:
- Successfully created optical fiber hosting topological supermodes across multiple cores.
- Measured the bulk topological invariant (photonic winding number).
- Observed meter-scale topological guidance of visible light and reversible reconfiguration of topological states upon bending.
Conclusions:
- Optical fiber serves as a scalable platform for topological photonics.
- Mechanical flexibility enables dynamic control over topological states.
- This work paves the way for exploring topological effects in complex photonic networks.
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