Nonlinear mode competition and symmetry-protected power oscillations in topological lasers
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Malzard, Simon
Schomerus, Henning
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Topological photonics started out as a pursuit to engineer systems that mimic fermionic single-particle Hamiltonians with symmetry-protected modes, whose number can only change in spectral phase transitions such as band inversions. The paradigm of topological lasing, realized in three recent experiments, offers entirely new interpretations of these states, as they can be selectively amplified by distributed gain and loss. A key question is whether such topological mode selection persists when one accounts for the nonlinearities that stabilize these systems at their working point. Here we show that topological defect lasers can indeed stably operate in genuinely topological states. These comprise direct analogues of zero modes from the linear setting, as well as a novel class of states displaying symmetry-protected power oscillations, which appear in a spectral phase transition when the gain is increased. These effects show a remarkable practical resilience against imperfections, even if these break the underlying symmetries, and pave the way to harness the power of topological protection in nonlinear quantum devices.
Date Issued
2018-06-25
Date Acceptance
2018-06-04
Citation
NEW JOURNAL OF PHYSICS, 2018, 20 (6)
ISSN
1367-2630
Publisher
Institute of Physics
Journal / Book Title
NEW JOURNAL OF PHYSICS
Volume
20
Issue
6
Copyright Statement
© 2018 The Author(s). Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000436582300002&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Physics
topological systems
lasers
nonlinear dynamics
PARITY-TIME
EDGE STATES
INSULATORS
PHOTONICS
LATTICES
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
063044
Date Publish Online
2018-06-04