Topological Pumping of Multifrequency Solitons

Area of Science:

• Nonlinear optics
• Topological physics
• Soliton dynamics

Background:

• Topological pumping facilitates quantized particle transport.
• Quadratic optical solitons are nonlinear wave packets with unique properties.
• Understanding soliton behavior in dynamic potentials is crucial for optical control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate topological pumping of quadratic optical solitons.
• To explore differences in pumping dynamics between quadratic and cubic nonlinear media.
• To characterize the transition to quantized transport in a dynamic optical potential.

Main Methods:

• Observation of quantized transport of quadratic solitons.
• Analysis of soliton behavior in separate, topologically equivalent dynamic optical potentials.
• Investigation of the role of nonlinearity and sublattice velocity on topological pumping.

Main Results:

• Quadratic solitons exhibit a transition to quantized transport governed by nonzero Chern numbers.
• This transition depends on nonlinearity and sublattice velocity, occurring outside the adiabatic regime.
• Unlike cubic media, quadratic systems show no breakup or fractional pumping at high power.

Conclusions:

• Topological pumping of quadratic solitons is achievable and distinct from cubic systems.
• The observed phenomena offer new avenues for controlling light propagation.
• Quadratic nonlinearities prevent undesirable effects like soliton breakup seen in cubic systems.