Electric-Magnetic-Switchable Free-Space Skyrmions in Toroidal Light Pulses via a Nonlinear Metasurface

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Niu, Li, Feng, Xi, Zhang, Xueqian, Yu, Wangke, Wang, Qingwei, Lang, Yuanhao, Xu, Quan, Chen, Xieyu, Ma, Jiajun, Qiu, Haidi, Shen, Yijie, Zhang, Weili, Han, Jiaguang
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Niu, Li
Feng, Xi
Zhang, Xueqian
Yu, Wangke
Wang, Qingwei
Lang, Yuanhao
Xu, Quan
Chen, Xieyu
Ma, Jiajun
Qiu, Haidi
Shen, Yijie
Zhang, Weili
Han, Jiaguang
author_facet Niu, Li
Feng, Xi
Zhang, Xueqian
Yu, Wangke
Wang, Qingwei
Lang, Yuanhao
Xu, Quan
Chen, Xieyu
Ma, Jiajun
Qiu, Haidi
Shen, Yijie
Zhang, Weili
Han, Jiaguang
contents Recent advances reveal that light propagation in free space supports many exotic topological textures, such as skyrmions. Their unique space-time topologies make them promising candidates as next-generation robust information carriers. Hence, the ability of switching different texture modes is highly demanded to serve as a manner of data transfer. However, previous studies focus on generation of one specific mode, lacking integrated devices with externally variable and stable mode generation capability. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the first realization of switchable skyrmions between electric and magnetic modes in toroidal light pulses using a nonlinear metasurface platform in terms of broadband terahertz generation driven by vectorial pulse. The spatial and temporal evolutions of them are also clearly observed. Our work establishes a new paradigm for manipulating and switching topologically structured light.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_21355
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Electric-Magnetic-Switchable Free-Space Skyrmions in Toroidal Light Pulses via a Nonlinear Metasurface
Niu, Li
Feng, Xi
Zhang, Xueqian
Yu, Wangke
Wang, Qingwei
Lang, Yuanhao
Xu, Quan
Chen, Xieyu
Ma, Jiajun
Qiu, Haidi
Shen, Yijie
Zhang, Weili
Han, Jiaguang
Optics
Recent advances reveal that light propagation in free space supports many exotic topological textures, such as skyrmions. Their unique space-time topologies make them promising candidates as next-generation robust information carriers. Hence, the ability of switching different texture modes is highly demanded to serve as a manner of data transfer. However, previous studies focus on generation of one specific mode, lacking integrated devices with externally variable and stable mode generation capability. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the first realization of switchable skyrmions between electric and magnetic modes in toroidal light pulses using a nonlinear metasurface platform in terms of broadband terahertz generation driven by vectorial pulse. The spatial and temporal evolutions of them are also clearly observed. Our work establishes a new paradigm for manipulating and switching topologically structured light.
title Electric-Magnetic-Switchable Free-Space Skyrmions in Toroidal Light Pulses via a Nonlinear Metasurface
topic Optics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.21355