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Main Authors: Tang, Jijie, Bouhon, Adrien, Shen, Yue, Wang, Kailun, Feng, Junrong, Li, Feng, Zhou, Di, Slager, Robert-Jan, Wu, Ying
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.06371
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author Tang, Jijie
Bouhon, Adrien
Shen, Yue
Wang, Kailun
Feng, Junrong
Li, Feng
Zhou, Di
Slager, Robert-Jan
Wu, Ying
author_facet Tang, Jijie
Bouhon, Adrien
Shen, Yue
Wang, Kailun
Feng, Junrong
Li, Feng
Zhou, Di
Slager, Robert-Jan
Wu, Ying
contents The study of topological band theory in classical structures has led to the development of novel topological metamaterials with intriguing properties. While single-gap topologies are well understood, recent novel multi-gap phases have garnished increasing interest. These novel phases are characterized by invariants, such as the Euler and second Stiefel-Whitney classes, which involve Bloch eigen-subspaces of multiple bands and can change by braiding in momentum space non-Abelian charged band degeneracies belonging to adjacent energy gaps. Here, we theoretically predict and experimentally demonstrate that two of such topological phases can coexist within a single system using vectorial elastic waves. The inherent coupling between different polarization modes enables non-Abelian braiding of nodal points of multiple energy band gaps and results in coexisting Euler and Stiefel-Whitney topological insulator phases. We furthermore unveil the central role played by the topologically stable Goldstone modes' degeneracy. Our findings represent the first realization of hybrid phases in vectorial fields exhibiting topologically nontrivial Goldstone modes, paving the way for bifunctional applications that leverage the coexistence of topological edge and corner states.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_06371
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Coexisting Euler and Stiefel-Whitney Topological Phases in Elastic Metamaterials
Tang, Jijie
Bouhon, Adrien
Shen, Yue
Wang, Kailun
Feng, Junrong
Li, Feng
Zhou, Di
Slager, Robert-Jan
Wu, Ying
Materials Science
Applied Physics
The study of topological band theory in classical structures has led to the development of novel topological metamaterials with intriguing properties. While single-gap topologies are well understood, recent novel multi-gap phases have garnished increasing interest. These novel phases are characterized by invariants, such as the Euler and second Stiefel-Whitney classes, which involve Bloch eigen-subspaces of multiple bands and can change by braiding in momentum space non-Abelian charged band degeneracies belonging to adjacent energy gaps. Here, we theoretically predict and experimentally demonstrate that two of such topological phases can coexist within a single system using vectorial elastic waves. The inherent coupling between different polarization modes enables non-Abelian braiding of nodal points of multiple energy band gaps and results in coexisting Euler and Stiefel-Whitney topological insulator phases. We furthermore unveil the central role played by the topologically stable Goldstone modes' degeneracy. Our findings represent the first realization of hybrid phases in vectorial fields exhibiting topologically nontrivial Goldstone modes, paving the way for bifunctional applications that leverage the coexistence of topological edge and corner states.
title Coexisting Euler and Stiefel-Whitney Topological Phases in Elastic Metamaterials
topic Materials Science
Applied Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.06371