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Flatbands from bound states in the continuum for orbital angular momentum localization.
Weiwei Zhu1, Hong-Yu Zou2, Yong Ge2
1College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
Nature Communications
|February 23, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a new method to create highly degenerate flatbands using bound states in the continuum (BICs). This enables compact localization of complex structured waves, including those with orbital angular momentum (OAM), in acoustic crystals.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Acoustics
- Wave Phenomena
Background:
- Flatband materials feature zero dispersion, enabling compact wavefunction localization.
- Standard flatbands struggle to localize complex wavefunctions, such as those with orbital angular momentum (OAM).
- Bloch wavefunctions require highly degenerate periodic functions for complex structure localization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a general framework for constructing highly degenerate flatbands.
- To experimentally demonstrate this framework in acoustic crystals.
- To enable compact localization of OAM-carrying wavefunctions.
Main Methods:
- Leveraging bound states in the continuum (BICs) to engineer flatbands.
- Experimental realization in two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) acoustic crystals.
- Characterization of flatband degeneracy and wavefunction localization.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated a novel framework for creating degenerate flatbands.
- Achieved four-fold degeneracy in 2D acoustic crystals and twelve-fold degeneracy in 3D acoustic crystals.
- Successfully localized complex structured fields with OAM in both 2D and 3D systems.
Conclusions:
- The developed framework enables OAM-compatible flatband filtering for acoustic signal processing.
- This work opens new avenues for constructing topologically structured waves.
- BICs provide a powerful tool for engineering exotic flatband properties.
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