Topological Lasing from Thouless Pumping in Bilayer Photonic Crystal.

Area of Science:

• Topological photonics
• Condensed matter physics
• Nanoscale optics

Background:

• Topological lasing offers robust single-mode amplification.
• Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and phase-change materials (PCMs) enable dynamic reconfiguration.
• Subwavelength scale devices are crucial for advanced photonic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To numerically demonstrate dynamically reconfigurable topological lasing.
• To explore Thouless pumping in bilayer photonic crystals.
• To investigate tunable lasing modes via MEMS or PCMs.

Main Methods:

• Numerical simulation of bilayer photonic crystals.
• Design of competing periodic potentials (translating and stationary gratings).
• Analysis of topological pumping and conventional mode oscillation transitions.

Main Results:

• Observed transition between topological pumping and conventional lasing.
• Demonstrated a robust lasing mode at telecom wavelengths.
• Showcased dynamic tunability of the lasing mode.

Conclusions:

• Bilayer photonic crystals serve as a programmable platform for topological light sources.
• This work merges topological photonics with reconfigurable photonic devices.
• Potential for robust and tunable nanoscale laser development.