Optical control of topological end states via soliton formation in a 1D lattice

Abstract

Solitons are self-consistent solutions of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation that maintain their shape during propagation. Here we show, using a pump-probe technique, that soliton formation can be used to optically induce and control a linear topological end state in the bulk of a Su-Schrieffer-Heeger lattice, using evanescently-coupled waveguide arrays. Specifically, we observe an abrupt nonlinearly-induced transition above a certain power threshold due to an inversion symmetry-breaking nonlinear bifurcation. Our results demonstrate all-optical active control of topological states.

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Cited by in corpus (4)

• Tutorial: Classifying Photonic Topology Using the Spectral Localizer and Numerical $K$-Theory
• Insensitive edge solitons in a non-Hermitian topological lattice
• Dark solitons in nonlinear Su-Schrieffer-Heeger lattices
• Topological phases of bosons with local parity coupling on a dimerized lattice