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Observation of unidirectional backscattering-immune topological electromagnetic states

Author

Listed:
  • Zheng Wang

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA)

  • Yidong Chong

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
    Present address: Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.)

  • J. D. Joannopoulos

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA)

  • Marin Soljačić

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA)

Abstract

A one-way street for electromagnetic waves A hallmark of the quantum Hall effect, and a consequence of nontrivial topology of the electronic properties of systems manifesting this phenomenon, is the existence of so-called chiral edge states. These are a class of unique electronic states through which two-dimensional electron systems subject to a large magnetic field propagate in a unidirectional fashion, essentially unimpeded by scattering. Recent theoretical studies predicted that analogues to such electron 'one-way' edge modes could be realized for electromagnetic waves in photonic crystals, materials with periodic variations of the refractive index. Zheng Wang and colleagues now experimentally realize such photonic chiral edge states in a designed magneto-optical photonic crystal and demonstrate their unidirectional and scattering-protected nature. The finding of such photonic chiral edge states may enable new classes of photonic devices as well as new experimental realizations of the quantum Hall phenomenon in classical and bosonic systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Zheng Wang & Yidong Chong & J. D. Joannopoulos & Marin Soljačić, 2009. "Observation of unidirectional backscattering-immune topological electromagnetic states," Nature, Nature, vol. 461(7265), pages 772-775, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:461:y:2009:i:7265:d:10.1038_nature08293
    DOI: 10.1038/nature08293
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