Phys.org August 19, 2019
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a unified perspective of unidirectional topological edge waves in nonreciprocal media. They focused on the inherent role of photonic spin in nonreciprocal gyroelectric media, i.e. magnetized metals or magnetized insulators. Hamiltonian approach predicts the existence of a third distinct class of Maxwellian edge wave exhibiting topological protection. This occurs in an intriguing topological bosonic phase of matter, fundamentally different from any known electronic or photonic medium. The goal of their paper is to discuss the three foundational classes of edge waves in a unified perspective while providing in-depth derivations, taking into account nonlocality and various boundary conditions. The work sheds light on the important role of photonic spin in condensed matter systems, where the definition of spin is also translatable to topological photonic crystals and metamaterials…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Credit: De Gruyter